Back in 1906, the Canadian government passed the Lord's Day Act, prohibiting a number of activities on Sunday, including "selling or purchasing goods."

The Act was thrown out by the Supreme Court in the 1980s, although many provinces, including B.C., had used an "opting out" clause to permit some Sunday retail activity long before then.

But Sunday shopping was just the start of a trend towards longer shopping hours and less regulation that continues to this day.

This trend is driven more by customers' demands than by retailers seeking to increase sales. Successful retailers understand that convenience is important to shoppers, and if that means remaining open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, then so be it.

While few stores see the need to go that far, longer hours and fewer restrictions are now the norm. Most shopping centres, for example, are open until 9 p.m. on at least a few nights a week. Some, like Metropolis, are open six nights, and, in response to demand, we have just extended our Sunday hours until 7 p.m.

The McDonald's restaurant in the mall recently went 24/7 (much to the delight of our overnight security and maintenance people, who now have a place to have coffee and a snack on their break). Since it has an outside entrance, it isn't limited to mall hours.

With more and more people working shifts, there is an increasing demand for fast food outlets - Denny's, McDonald's and many more - to stay open longer.

Some Home Depot stores have been open round the clock for years and contractors love it. Many other major stores, including some Wal-Mart and Real Canadian Superstore locations, are open 24 hours in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Many such stores were already bringing in staff overnight for restocking and maintenance, so for them, it was essentially little more than adding a cashier at the checkouts. Most of a store's costs are fixed in any case. Rent and utilities, for example, must be paid whether the store is open or not. Security has to be in place round the clock.

Are these stores gaining sales? Probably not much. But they are satisfying customers' needs better.

For some retailers, however, longer hours can be a challenge and it is difficult for high-end stores even now. Such stores can't rely on a part-time student to give customers expert advice and assistance on fitting a $1,500 suit, for example, or buying expensive jewelry. You need a level of knowledge and experience that is not required in a store like Wal-Mart or in a fast-food restaurant.

Longer hours are tough on Mom-and-Pop stores too. How do you work 364 days a year? But most find a way around it, often by co-opting close family members and other relatives. Customers like flexibility, and most in the retail industry understand that keeping the bottom line in the black means responding to customers' demands and satisfying their needs.

Doug MacDougall is the general manager of Metropolis at Metrotown.