4 Ohio Malls Plan May 12 Reopening, Lay Out Safety Guidelines

AURORA, OH — Four Ohio malls owned by property management group Simon will reopen on May 12. The company said it will implement safety precautions to protect shoppers from the new coronavirus.

Simon's four properties in Ohio, Aurora Farms, Cincinnati PO, Summit Mall and The Mall at Tuttle Crossing, will open on May 12, when Ohio's ban on consumer retails stores is lifted. Simon has already begun reopening stores in other states.

The company said it is experiencing "better-than-expected traffic" at their malls. Management has, at times, had to limit access to some shops to ensure safety protocols are being followed.

"Moreover, to our surprise, many of our tenants experienced much stronger than expected sales over the weekend.Overwhelmingly, consumers have relayed to us how excited they are to be out shopping again. With more and more stores opening every day, we expect our retailers will be able to take advantage of significant pent-up consumer demand," said John Rulli, Simon's president.

According to Simon, these are the safety protocols being put into place at the four malls:

• All employees who can work from home will continue to do so
• Employees who have been sick in the past 72 hours should not report to work
• Employees will have their temperatures taken when they arrive at work. Temperatures greater than 100.4 degrees will result in the employee being sent home.
• Employees should wear masks and maintain social distance when working behind the scenes
• Desks and work stations must be separated by at least 6 feet
• Signage must be erected reminding employees of CDC health guidance
• Breakrooms, restrooms, counters, workstations and employee-only areas must be sanitized regularly
• Cash registers, light switches, door handles, touch screens and other common surfaces must be sanitized regularly

More details on the new safety protocols can be found on Simon's website.