Haywood Mall, Greenville, South Carolina.
Mike Kalasnik | WikipediaCC
The biggest mall owner in the U.S. is preparing to open a number of its properties across the country, as states like South Carolina and Georgia start to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic, according to an internal memo that was obtained by CNBC.
Simon Property Group is reopening 49 of its malls and outlet centers between May 1 and May 4, the memo said, including Haywood Mall in Greenville, South Carolina, and Lenox Square in Atlanta. (A full list of all 49 locations and exact reopening dates is below.)
A company spokesperson did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
Business hours at the malls and outlet centers are going to be limited to 11 am to 7 pm Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 pm Sunday, to allow for cleaning overnight, according to the memo. Simon said it will regularly be sanitizing high-touch areas like food court tables, escalators, door knobs and electronic directories. And it is encouraging retailers to do the same in their stores.
Meantime, Simon said it will encourage — but not enforce — shoppers to take their temperatures before going to the mall. It said it will encourage individuals to wear masks or some sort of facial coverings while they shop. Simon is, however, mandating its employees wear masks while they are working, and to take “frequent breaks for handwashing.”
The mall owner said it will be providing, free of charge, CDC-approved masks and hand sanitizing packets to the shoppers who ask for them. It said it will be making free temperature testing available to customers using infrared thermometers.
To ensure its employees and shoppers maintain distance, Simon is taking a number of steps. Those include: Putting tape over every other sink and urinal in restrooms; putting decals on floors to direct traffic flow in one direction; limiting food court seating; and keeping play areas and drinking fountains closed off still.
It said it will limit the number of entrances to each property, and make sure that occupancy does not exceed one person per 50 square feet of space — using traffic measuring technology.
Per the memo, Simon is also encouraging retailers and other tenants to use technology, such as Apple Pay, that allows for contactless transactions.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.