Vancouver Mall will reopen to shoppers Wednesday, although there will be restrictions on occupancy and operating hours during the initial weeks.
The mall announced the news Monday, three days after Clark County received permission to move to Phase 2 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Safe Start reopening plan. Phase 2 allows for restaurants and retail outlets to resume in-person operations at a limited capacity.
The mall’s main internal promenade will open Wednesday, but it will be up to each individual restaurant and retailer to determine their own reopening plans, according to a press release. Retail customer traffic at the mall will be restricted to 30 percent of the usual occupancy limit, and restaurants will be limited to 50 percent, in accordance with the Phase 2 rules.
The mall will operate on reduced hours for the first 30 days, opening from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. The reduced hours are intended to give staff more time for cleaning and sanitation procedures.
Some high-contact areas and features such as drinking fountains and valet parking will remain closed. The AMC Vancouver Mall 23 multiplex will also remain closed, as movie theaters aren’t permitted to resume operations until Phase 3 of the Safe Start plan.
Dividers will be installed at the mall’s entrances and exists to direct the flow of foot traffic and encourage social distancing. Ordering and pickup areas will be separated at the food court, and food will continue to be served in to-go containers. Tables will be cleaned and covered with butcher paper after each diner departs.
“As we reopen for business, we are absolutely thrilled to welcome our valued shoppers back to Vancouver Mall,” mall general manager Tracy Peters said in a statement. “To ensure people are comfortable returning to the mall, we have taken a number of precautions recommended by our local government and health care experts to safeguard the health of our guests and employees.”
The mall has been closed since March 19 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although some of its stores and restaurants have resumed limited operations in recent weeks, providing curbside service using either their own entrances or designated “Retail To Go” spots outside the mall’s main entrances.
Restaurants and retailers can choose to continue their Retail To Go options, although the decision is up to each individual mall tenant. The mall press release indicated that several have opted to maintain the option for the time being. A full list of Retail To Go offerings can be found on the mall’s website at shopvancouvermall.com.
