Westfield’s Meriden, Trumbull Malls to Reopen May 20

Westfield announced Monday it will reopen its mall locations in Meriden and Trumbull on May 20.

Shopping malls across Connecticut were closed in March to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Malls are included in the first phase of reopening, state officials said last week, but they will have to follow the retail guidelines.

Westfield said the shopping centers will have modified hours, open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

The malls will be taking steps to protect public health, including frequent cleaning measures, focused on high-touch areas like restrooms, play areas, dining areas and water foundations, monitoring and controlling the number of people entering centers and queuing in lines, social distancing policies including the wearing of face masks, and making hand sanitizer and hand washing stations available across the center.

“Westfield is excited to open our doors again to the Connecticut community as we begin our initial recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Patrick Madden, Vice President of Shopping Center Management in a media release. “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; and are committed to providing the best experience possible as business begins to operate at the centers."

State officials said retailers looking to reopen on May 20 will have to adhere to the following guidelines:

Maximum 50-percent capacity
Fitting rooms closed
Physical barriers at checkout
Markers indicate 6-foot distance in line and at door
Self-serve counters closed
Contactless payments preferred
Hand sanitizer & cleaning wipes at entrance points
Bathrooms cleaned frequently
High-contact areas cleaned frequently (carts/baskets, door handles, credit card machines)
Employees to wear facemasks or cloth face coverings at all times
Customers to ear facemasks or cloth face coverings at all times

Westfield is also looking at ways to help certain retailers offer curbside pickup.