As the second phase of the opening of the province’s economy begins, malls in Kamloops are slowly beginning to welcome customers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aberdeen Mall has unveiled its restart plan — and, if you are visiting the mall, bring a debit or credit card as cash is not an option.
That mall’s plan involves requiring employees with cold or flu-like symptoms to stay home, regularly disinfecting common areas, installing new signage and using of distancing markers.
The mall is open under reduced hours — from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
All four mall entrances are open to avoid the congregation of large crowds of people, but a number of amenities remain closed. Visitors will not be able to access the mall’s wheelchairs, walkers, scooters or strollers. Family washrooms, water fountains and ATMs are all closed and cash payments are not being accepted.
Food court seating is limited and all orders are being provided in to-go containers. The mall’s expansion of its food court area into the former Sears space has been completed. The renovation involved new seating and flooring to the expanded space, as well as a new elevator and staircase now open to the public.
Re-opened businesses are responsible for limiting occupancy levels to allow staff and customers to maintain a physical distance of at least two metres (six feet). Businesses will be following standards set out by WorkSafe BC's provincial guidelines.
Customers are being asked to maintain distancing, thoroughly clean their hands and practise good respiratory hygiene by coughing or sneezing into their elbow. They are being asked to stay home if they are sick.
Not all stores have reopened and shoppers should check online with individual retailers on the Aberdeen Mall website before visiting.
At the onset of May, just three stores in the mall were open.
As of this week, the following businesses are open :
Ardene
Below the Belt
Best Buy
Boathouse
Boutique of Leathers
Cali Nails
Chatters
Culture Craze
Dolson’s Source for Sports
Eclipse
Garage
Hudson’s Bay
Kamloops Cell Repair
La Vie en Rose
Lensmakers13
Mobile Snap
OPA!
Quarks
Rogers Wireless
Showcase
Soft Mac
Sport Check
Zumiez
At Sahali Mall, some stores are open, including Freshco grocery store, Value Village and Simply Computing. Others are planning to reopen, including the Fox ’N Hounds pub some time next week, Danielle’s Silver and Gold on May 25 and Hair Clips Salon on June 2 (by appointment only).
Northills Centre also has a number of businesses open inside the mall, including Your Independent Grocer, Shoppers Drug Mart, TD Canada Trust and The Source, while a number of stores with outside access are also open.
Always call ahead before visiting any Kamloops business to learn of its open/closed status.
