Wegmans will close 48 stores on April 8 during the solar eclipse, reported Newsweek. The locations will be closed for half an hour during totality so that employees can view the total solar eclipse.

From 3 to 3:30 p.m., all store services, including pharmacy, grocery and Meals2Go pickup and delivery will be unavailable to customers.

“The opportunity to experience a total solar eclipse comes once in a lifetime, and we don’t want our employees to miss out,” Patrick Bourcy, Wegmans regional manager said in a statement. "We appreciate all that our employees do to help our customers prepare for and enjoy events like this, and in return, we welcome the opportunity to make this a celebratory and memorable occasion for them."

The stores that will close stretch from Erie, Pennsylvania, to Syracuse, New York. All located directly in the path of totality.

Erie, Pennsylvania, the largest Pennsylvania city that will experience totality, will have multiple businesses and schools closed for the once-in-a-lifetime event. According to the Erie Times-News, most Erie area schools and some government buildings and businesses will be closed, for at least some time on April 8, to allow students and staff to witness the event. Others will ask employees to work remotely.

As convenience stores in and around the path of totality prepare for the astronomical event, they should consider what staffing looks like on the day of the eclipse. Team members will want to view the eclipse, and these days may also have unusually heavy traffic.

For more on c-stores and the total solar eclipse, check out NACS Magazine’s “Total Eclipse of the Mart” or check out the Convenience Matters podcast episode “Are Your C-Stores Ready for the Solar Eclipse?”