LYNDHURST, Ohio — Tuesday is a big day for retail stores here in Ohio as they will finally be eligible to reopen to customers after being closed for almost 2 months due to COVID-19.
So which stores and malls are confirmed to be reopening? Here's what we know!
Malls that are reopening on Tuesday, May 12:
- Great Lakes Mall
- Belden Village Mall
- SouthPark Mall
- Great Northern Mall
- Beachwood Place
- Chapel Hill Mall
- Summit Mall
Factory Outlets reopening on Tuesday, May 12:
- Aurora Farms Premium Outlets
- Ohio Station Outlets in Lodi
Pinecrest has put out a comprehensive schedule of when its retailers are planning to reopen. You can find it by clicking here.
Legacy Village says while some of its retailers are planning to reopen beginning May 12, you are encouraged to reach out to retailers you plan on visiting directly to determine their opening plans, as they may be observing reduced hours of operation and may have face mask requirements for customers.
Likewise, Crocker Park says many of its tenants are still working to decide when and how to safely reopen. You are asked to contact each store directly to confirm hours and any safety measures they are requiring of guests.
As far as major chain stores go, some like Kohl's have yet to announce reopening plans for Ohio. Last week, Kohl's revealed that they were reopening in 10 states on Monday, but had yet to announce what Ohio's status would be.
A spokesperson for TJ Maxx told the Toledo Blade on Monday that customers should continue checking the website to learn when their local store will reopen.
Best Buy has announced that customers can now shop inside a select number of its stores by appointment only, including the Parma, Mentor, Mayfield Rd, Chapel Hill, North Olmsted, Montrose, Canton, Macedonia, Wooster, Avon, Strongsville & Sandusky, OH, stores. Click here for details.
3News' Brandon Simmons spoke with Dan Unger, owner of Mar-Lou Shoes about the excitement of Tuesday's reopening.
"My goodness you can't even begin to imagine. Like a kid in a candy store. Looking forward to opening tomorrow," Unger says.
Like many other stores, Mar-Lou has been sitting on loads of spring inventory with no way to move it. Mar-Lou has been around for 62 years, focusing on customer service to drive business. That's a plan that doesn't work without customers.
"So we had all these incredible shoes coming for the spring and summer season. And voila, as soon as the season starts to roll, we're not able to sale any of the shoes," Unger adds.
That will all change on Tuesday, along with new safety protocols. Unger says Mar-Lou will have a handwashing station out front, along with cleaning supplies everywhere. "We are sanitizing things that people touch," according to Unger.
You'll also see reminders all over the store reminding to you to practice social distancing. Mar-Lou will also implement capacity limits. These types of changes are being made in stores around the country, but in different ways. That's something you'll likely find out if you visit malls like Great Lakes, SouthPark, Great Northern, and Belden Village.
Again, while many stores and malls will be open, some retailers haven't set a date for reopening yet, so make sure you call ahead and prevent a wasted trip.
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