Mall of America to reopen on June 1, Rosedale opening Monday
The Mall of America has announced it will be reopening following Gov. Tim Walz's decision to end the Stay at Home order, but will not be doing so till June 1.
That's not the case at the Rosedale Center in Roseville, which is opening at the earliest possible opportunity this coming Monday.
Malls and non-essential retail are allowed to open up once the order expires at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 17.
The MOA said the news it can re-open is "promising" for retailers, but there remain "many unknowns surrounding this health crisis."
The reason it's waiting till June 1 to re-open is to give its retailers time to prepare their stores for re-opening, and get its safety protocols in place.
Restaurants and other entertainment are not re-opening to customers for now, with the MOA waiting on more guidance from the Walz Administration that is expected in the next week – though food outlets can still offer curbside pickup or delivery.
Larger attractions like Nickelodeon Universe and the Sea Life Center have not been approved for re-opening, while Walz has also said there will likely be restrictions on communal spaces in malls.
"This [opening June 1] will allow us to continue creating the safest environment possible for our team members, tenants and guests," the MOA said.
"It will also allow our diverse set of retail tenants the time needed to rehire, train staff and prepare their individual stores with necessary cleaning, sanitization and safety measure implementations."
The MOA has said it is putting in place social distancing signage, measures to re-direct foot traffic, enhanced cleaning procedures, reconfigured seating, and measures to limit its capacity to 50 percent.
Security staff will also be in place to ensure that large groups don't congregate.
"It is important to know that while Mall of America will reopen on June 1, not all retailers within our building will open immediately. We understand it may be longer before some are ready to reopen."
While not making them mandatory, the MOA say it is "strongly encouraging" people to wear masks when they visit.
You can find more details here.
Rosedale to reopen on Monday
Rosedale Center says it will open its doors at 11 a.m. Monday, and is also asking anyone going to the mall to wear a face mask.
It too is saying that not all stores are ready to reopen and suggests shoppers check before they go. The mall-walking program remains suspended for now.
“A safe environment for shoppers and retailers is our number one priority. We are closely monitoring guidance from local and national authorities and working with our clients to ensure that property safety protocols are being followed as shoppers and employees come back to Rosedale Center," Lisa Crain, General Manager of Rosedale Center, said.
"We will continue to employ CDC guidelines, oversee vigilant maintenance of the center’s cleanliness, encourage social distancing and keep areas of the center closed when necessary."
