Can a commercial lease require the tenant to open on all Sundays or any specified day of the week?

Full question:

I have a toy store in a shopping mall in Connecticut. My landlord is forcing me to keep my store open on Sundays. He even said that he wants to add a clause regarding this to our lease agreement. Can he do so? He has even asked other shopkeepers to open their shops on Sundays.

• Category: Landlord Tenant
• Date: 04/07/2025
• State: Connecticut

Answer:

No, your landlord cannot force you to open your store on every Sunday, or any other specified day of the week. Further, even if your landlord adds a clause to your contract, that clause will be void.

The landlord in a commercial lease may not require a lessee who has leased space in a shopping center or building for commercial purposes, to be open for business seven days a week or on any specified day of the week. The relevant statutory provision in this regard is:

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4b reads:       
 

“No lease of commercial space in a shopping center or in a building occupied by two or more businesses entered into on or after October 1, 1979, shall require a lessee to be open for business seven days a week or on any specified day of the week. Any provision in a lease which violates this section shall be void.”