As Metro Atlanta Malls Reopen, Here's What To Expect

ATLANTA, GA — Georgia malls owned by Simon real estate company opened as of Monday. The metro Atlanta malls include Lenox Square Mall, Mall of Georgia/Village Shops, Phipps Plaza, Sugarloaf Mills, and Town Center at Cobb.

All Simon properties temporarily closed on March 19 in order to address the spread of COVID-19.

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Here are the changes shoppers can expect:

• Enhanced sanitization and disinfecting using the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) approved products with an emphasis on high-traffic locations such as dining areas, restrooms, escalators, stairs, directories, trash bins and door knobs.

• Shopper safeguards that include making available protective masks, sanitizing wipes and temperature testing at entrances or property offices, as well as the encouragement of pre-visit health screenings to ensure shoppers stay home if they have exhibited COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms within 72 hours.

• Hand sanitizing stations will be deployed throughout the properties.

• Signage promoting CDC guidelines for maintaining personal hygiene will be prominently displayed throughout the properties.
• Pre-emptive employee health screening to ensure that employees do not arrive at work within 72 hours of exhibiting COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms.
• Employee safety protections including implementing the CDC’s COVID-19 frequent hand-washing protocols, and offering personal protective equipment in addition to other CDC recommended practices.

• 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 signage and distance markers.

"The health, safety and well-being of those we serve will always be our highest priority, and we have developed a thorough and detailed set of protocols highlighting the exceptional measures we’ve implemented to safeguard shoppers, retailers and employees as we reopen,” said John Rulli, President of Simon in a news release.

“We also recognize that individuals and families in our communities are suffering significant hardship as a result of both COVID-19 and the economic shutdown, and we believe that reopening our properties will not only help people get back to work during these challenging times, but also enable us to use our properties to further support charitable initiatives."