Mall of Georgia, Sugarloaf Mills reportedly reopening Friday

It appears two malls in Gwinnett County will reopen their doors this weekend after being closed for more than a month because of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease pandemic.

CNBC reported the Mall of Georgia and Sugarloaf Mills are among several malls that Simon Property Group plans to reopen on Friday. The CNBC report is based upon an internal memo the news outlet reportedly obtained.

Simon officials have not yet confirmed the plans to re-open.

According to the report, the malls will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon until 6 p.m. on Sundays. Several steps to ensure social distancing, including roping off every other urinal and sink in bathrooms, limiting the number of open entrances to ensure the number of shoppers to one for every 50 square feet, placing decals on the floor to direct traffic, requiring employees to wear masks and take frequent handwashing breaks and regularly sanitizing high-touch areas.

Children’s play areas will reportedly remain closed and mall officials will make free masks and hand sanitizing packets available to shoppers upon request. Shoppers will be encouraged to wear masks while they are in the mall.

Other Simon-owned shopping centers in the Georgia that will reportedly reopen Friday include Lenox Square Mall, Phipps Plaza, Town Center at Cobb, Calhoun Outlet Marketplace and North Georgia Premium Outlets.

Simon-owned properties in Alaska, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas are also expected to re-open Friday.

Simon had closed its properties in mid-March because of the pandemic.

Return to www.gwinnettdailypost.com for updates.

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