Westfield Old Orchard Shopping Center Sets Reopening Date

SKOKIE, IL — Westfield Old Orchard shopping center announced plans to reopen Wednesday with modified hours and new safety precautions aimed at reducing the potential spread of the coronavirus

Nonessential retailers have been shuttered and in-person dining has been forbidden for more than two months at the Skokie mall during Gov. J.B. Pritzker's stay-at-home orders, but with the state entering the next phase of the governor's reopening plan, restaurants and stores at the ball will be able to resume limited operations.

Serge Khalimsky, manager of the shopping center, said the mall's Australia-based parent company was excited to welcome customers back during the first phase of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are working closely with local officials and other relevant community groups to ensure a healthy, clean and safe environment for our customers, tenants and employees," Khalimsky said in a statement. Staff are "committed to providing the best experience possible as business begins to operate at the center," he said.

Illinois Coronavirus Update May 29 — Don't miss updates about Skokie's response to COVID-19 — Sign up for Skokie Patch news alerts and newsletters.

The mall's new hours will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. All common areas are regularly disinfected, hand sanitizer stations and social distancing reminders have been placed around the shopping center, according to Westfield officials. Staff will monitor the number of visitors to avoid crowding in waiting areas and queues.

Management at the shopping center has been working with retailers and other companies to make curbside pickup as easy as possible, allowing customers to quickly collect purchases, according to a release. Potential patrons with questions about store and mall hours, promotions and other matters can get real-time response by text or chat from customer service representatives between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. with Westfield's Answers on the Spot program.

Shopping center management has established a code of conduct that asks anyone with symptoms to stay home and calls for everyone to wear masks and maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times throughout the mall. It also includes a disclaimer acknowledging customers accept the safety risk of a visit to the mall during the pandemic.

"The Shopping Center has implemented required safety precautions and best practices to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. However, such measures do not eliminate the inherent risk of potential exposure to COVID-19 in public spaces. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death," it said. "By visiting the Shopping Center, you voluntarily assume all risks associated with exposure to COVID-19."

More information, including operating hours of individual restaurants and stores at Old Orchard, is available online.

UPDATE: 'Credible Threat' Of Over 300 Looters At Old Orchard Mall: Wilmette Police Chief

Civil unrest during the final weekend in May led to a weeklong delay of the reopening of the shopping center. The mall opened June 10 with modified hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, according to Westfield.