I have to wonder why you and your family and friends all seem to shop at closing time at this store. Stores have a lot of work to do at closing. Cleaning up the messes you (we) customers make, some actually have to clean the stores not just put back merchandies, some do stock work, and the list goes on and on. During Holidays the hours extend and they do for management often without increase in pay.

I have worked for Major Dept. Stores in management, one for instance that has been in business for many decades. We always had closing announcements and sometimes they have closing songs. You would not know but many have opening songs and announcements as well.

If you don't prompt people you are closing..some people (probably you) would think because your inside the store you can shop to you drop. This also gets people out of the dressing rooms before lights possibly go out. That said even with announcements and lights out some customers practically have to be dragged out the door. A lot of stores will not even begin closing registers while someone is inside due to the potential of being robbed. Stores have to be checked top to bottom to make sure people are not hiding in dressing rooms, rest rooms, and even merchandise racks. People hid and rob the place after everyone exits or worse when employees are all locked in.

Most larger stores even have their lights on timers and they start going out at closing time in stages. This goes for outside lights as well and you exiting the store with those exterior lights out becomes a risk factor to you.

And lastly all dept. stores are on payroll budgets. Adding 15 minutes extra just for you to stroll around at leisure time then must be mulitplied by the number of assocatites working, which makes you hanging out after closing not worth the cost. As someone pointed out this can result in managerment getting written up. Many times it is for not coming in on payroll. This can cause overtime not unbudgeted that corporate pitches a fit about. A large store can add several hours because one customer stays 15 minutes late. That is time not factored in a tight budget.

Ross has great products and prices and I would suggest shopping early. They are reall not about customer service. It is more of a self service type retail outlet. But that said even in a store that caters to service you will find closing procedures and announcements more likely than not.