What to know as shopping resumes at Gulfport Outlets, Edgewater Mall amid COVID-19
Gulfport Premium Outlets opened Friday and Edgewater Mall in Biloxi will reopen Tuesday, May 5, with both shopping centers taking extra precautions to prevent spread of the new coronavirus.
Some outlet stores opened at 11 a.m. Friday.
“We had a lot of customers. They were so excited to be out, doing a little retail therapy,” said Pamela Meinzinger, general manager at the Gulfport outlets.
She expects store openings to be back to 100% in a few weeks as corporate owners give stores the go-ahead. The list of which stores are open and closed is posted on the center’s website.
After spending weeks sheltered in place during the pandemic, she said people are ready to start shopping.
The food court at the outlets will reopen once the governor allows restaurants to open for indoor dining, she said.
Edgewater Mall
Edgewater Mall opens at 11 a.m. Tuesday, which is Cinco de Mayo. For now, the food court will be open for takeout only.
Hand sanitizer stations are being set up at entrances, and signs are being posted to remind staff and customers to follow the CDC guidelines for social distancing, said Terry Powell, mall manager.
The movie theater will open in several weeks, he said, depending on the schedule of Hollywood releases of movies.
Hours for both Edgewater Mall and Gulfport Premium Outlets will be 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Simon Properties’ precautions
As people return to shop, they will notice changes since the stores were closed.
Markers will be on some of the floors to remind shoppers and those who work at the stores to keep their distance. Many people will be wearing masks and gloves.
“I want the customers to feel very comfortable,” said Meinzinger.
Corporate owner Simon Properties has adopted new protocols to keep the stores and outlet centers clean, she said — “above and beyond what is deemed necessary in a retail environment.”
She said all of the employees are screened before they start work, and all have been trained in COVID-19 safety guidelines.
“We do encourage the customers to have PPE themselves,” she said, and wear their masks while at the outlets.
Among the precautions Simon is putting in place at its outlet stores are:
▪ Masks and gloves will be required for all employees, and they must have their temperature taken before starting each day. Health screenings will help ensure employees do not arrive at work within 72 hours of exhibiting symptoms.
▪ High-traffic areas will be sanitized and disinfected using CDC-approved products.
▪ Free protective masks, sanitizing wipes and temperature tests are available to shoppers at entrances or property offices
▪ Shoppers are asked to stay home if they have exhibited COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms within 72 hours.
▪ Hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout the property.
▪ Signs promoting CDC guidelines for personal hygiene prominently displayed throughout the property.
▪ Promotion and enforcement of social distancing practices, including occupancy limitations, furniture and restroom spacing, closure of play areas and strollers, as well as coordinated traffic flow with traffic signs and distance markers.
