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May 21, 2020

Shoppers arrive at region’s malls, but few merchants open to greet them

PHOTOS | New Haven BIZ Jahangir Alom, proprietor of Cell Phone World at the Post Mall in Milford on Wednesday.
By Michael C. Bingham and Michelle Tuccitto Sullo 

Maintaining social distancing was not much of a problem Wednesday at Connecticut shopping malls, resurrected on the first day of the first phase of the state’s commercial reopening following ten weeks of enforced shutdown for the coronavirus pandemic. 

Shoppers were relatively few the first day back in business — as was the roster of stores that reopened as soon as Gov. Ned Lamont gave the long-awaited thumbs-up. For others — both buyers and sellers — wait-and-see seemed the order of the day.

While it wasn’t your typical crowd size, shoppers showed up at Westfield Meriden for Wednesday’s reopening eager to make purchases. 

But inside, there were few stores actually open for business.

Big draws such as TJ Maxx, Best Buy, Old Navy, Loft, Charlotte Russe, Yankee Candle, and Bath & Body Works were among the merchants that remained closed on the first day of the reopening.

Michael’s Jewelers was among several retailers which hadn’t reopened yet as of Wednesday in Meriden, and customers encountered multiple gated storefronts.

Katherine Bolas, a spokesperson for Westfield, said Thursday via email, “Westfield  is  working  with  tenants  to  ensure  that  they  are  able  to  open as quickly as possible."

Bolas didn’t have an exact timeline for when all the mall’s tenants will reopen, and she urged interested customers to keep checking for updates on the mall’s website.

Precautions related to the coronavirus crisis are evident around the mall. Signs warn patrons to stay six feet away from each other. The seating area in the Food Court was completely cordoned off, though about half of the eateries were serving meals to-go Wednesday afternoon.

Plastic coverings prevent anyone from using typical the Meriden mall’s main aisle attractions such as massaging chairs and children’s moving vehicles.

There were shoppers, yes, and all were wearing masks, but it was far from what you’d typically see at the mall.

There were glimmers of hope, as some stores inside the mall did reopen. 

Dick’s Sporting Goods had customers browsing merchandise and waiting in line to pay. 

Signage outside Dick’s Sporting Goods in Meriden welcomes customers and reminds them to maintain social distancing on Wednesday.

At Forever 21, a fashion retailer, Manager Gigi Perez said Wednesday had been “busy,” and a line of customers formed as soon as they opened.

“We’ve been at capacity, with 15 shoppers at a time, all day,” Perez said.

According to Lamont’s current guidelines, malls and retailers are allowed to open, but only at 50 percent capacity.

Perez was at the entrance, greeting customers and keeping tabs on whether the store had too many people inside at any given time. If a store reaches its capacity limit, employees must ask people to wait outside until other customers leave.

When asked how it was working out Wednesday, Perez said customers didn’t like being turned away when the store got too full. Often, when she had to tell people they couldn’t come in, mall patrons would continue walking and never return, according to Perez.

“We also can’t let people in our fitting rooms, which they don’t like. I hope we can stay open, but if it will be this way….,” Perez said, her voice trailing off.

Per the governor’s orders, any clothing which a customer tries on must either be quarantined for 48 hours or steam-cleaned before being returned to the racks. Many clothing retailers were opting to close their fitting rooms entirely instead.

At the Connecticut Post Mall, shopper traffic was not much more than a trickle. But merchants were upbeat — perhaps looking ahead to brighter days of the holiday weekend and summer shopping season to come.

A majority of the Milford mall’s chain retailers — Hollister, American Eagle Outfitters, Zales Jewelers — remained closed on the first day of Phase 1. Of the anchor stores, only Dick’s Sporting Goods was open Wednesday. Discount department store Boscov’s was preparing to reopen on Thursday, with Macy’s to follow on Friday.

The first merchants to open their doors were predominantly small independent retail stores. Jahangir Alom of Cell Phone World on the mall’s second floor said business had been steady, especially customers stopping in for cell phone repairs they may have deferred for weeks since the shutdown began. Alom, who has been in the mall for more than a decade, said he also sold a number of screen protectors and phone cases on Wednesday.

George Dorsey is a sales lead at Underground by Journeys, a casual footwear and clothing retailer on the Post Mall’s upper level. He said business the first day was “pretty great — we’ve been busy most of the day.” He said most of the shoppers were playing by the new rules — wearing masks, maintaining social distancing.

“If everybody’s working together to stay clean and stay healthy, then we should have no issues,” Dorsey added. “The store is very clean, and I think everybody feels safe.’

George Dorsey of Underground by Journeys at the CT Post Mall. ‘I think everybody feels safe.’

Others were less upbeat.

The few customers prowling the mall floor “are just looking at the products and not really buying — they’re not in the mood to buy,” said James Dhakal of Oxford Jewelers, a jewelry kiosk on the mall ground floor. “Maybe they are scared to get close” to the merchants and salespeople, he added. “Hopefully they will come back and buy.”

Hopefully.

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