The local shopping malls will be changing their hours starting next week. And it will be closer to the pre-pandemic schedule followed at the indoor malls.
The mall hours at The Marketplace Mall, Eastview Mall and The Mall at Greece Ridge announced by Wilmorite, the company that operates the local shopping malls, will move to 10am to 9pm, Monday through Saturday as of Monday, November 16.
They had been on a reduced schedule, from 11am to 7pm since the malls were allowed to reopen during one of the pandemic phases laid out by the state last July.
But the busy holiday shopping season is coming up, and Mike Kauffman, the general manager of Eastview Mall, said that by extending the hours now it could help spread out the number of shoppers in the malls which is a good thing.
“The idea again is to create a more relaxing shopping atmosphere for shoppers, and I think they’ve done a really good job of it. You’re seeing most of the major retailers really focusing on that and they want to make sure they’re doing right, both from a safety standpoint, and doing right by their shoppers,” Kauffman said.
The local shopping malls will keep the Sunday hours at 11am to 6pm. The stores at the malls will be closed on Thanksgiving and on Black Friday, they will be open from 8am to 9pm.
Wilmorite said that hours for the malls will extend slightly with earlier open and close times around Thanksgiving weekend and leading up to Christmas. The company said that change in hours is consistent with what other mall developers are doing locally and across the country.
Wilmorite said that the local malls continue to follow a number of steps to keep the environment safe including using the highest grade air filters and HVAC system, which the company said is above what is being used in big box stores, grocery stores and most offices.
Also, Santa will be making at appearance at the malls December 4 – 24, with customers encouraged to make a reservation in advance. Children will be able to visit with Santa from a six-foot distance and Santa will be wearing a mask. There is more information at rochestermalls.com
