The Quaker Bridge Mall parking lot is mostly empty, but the Simon Property Group is hoping that it will begin to fill, now that Gov. Phil Murphy has given the go-ahead to open indoor shopping malls on June 29.
The Quaker Bridge Mall will be open Monday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. It is not known whether all 120 stores will open.
The Quaker Bridge Mall has been closed to the public since March 17, when Murphy ordered indoor malls closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The nearly 1.1 million-square-foot mall is on Route 1 at Quakerbridge Road in Lawrence Township.
Of the 120 stores listed on the Quaker Bridge Mall’s website, 19 stores have been offering curbside pickup of orders placed with them. Macy’s and JC Penney, which have outdoor access points, have been open for business.
“Certainly, malls are part of New Jersey culture and lore. We want those businesses to get back up and running responsibly,” Murphy announced at his daily press conference June 18.
Once the doors to the mall open, shoppers and store employees will be required to wear facial coverings. Free masks and sanitizing wipe packets for shoppers will be available at designated entrances and at the mall office, according to the Simon Property Group.
Dividers will be placed in entrances, separating shoppers entering and leaving the mall to encourage social distancing. Social distancing markers will be put in place on the floors in the Quaker Bridge Mall.
Indoor stores will operate at 50% of capacity, and common areas, such as food courts, will be closed and cordoned off. If there are too many people, they will be asked to wait outside in their cars. They may be asked to stand in line and to comply with social distancing measures of standing at least six feet apart.
In restrooms, every other sink and urinal will be taped off to encourage proper spacing. Soap and water will be made available to customers and employees. Hand sanitizer will be available, the Simon Property Group said.
Store employees will be asked to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms. Employees’ body temperature will be checked and if it exceeds 100.4 degrees or they have exhibited flu-like symptoms in the last 72 hours, they will be sent home.
Shoppers should also self-screen for symptoms and stay home if they do not feel well or if they have a temperature. Anyone who has shown flu-like symptoms in the previous 72 hours should stay home.
The stores will regularly sanitize and disinfect high touch-point areas, such as counters, terminals and screens throughout the day. The stores and the mall will be sanitized and disinfected daily after closing, the Simon Property Group said.