Name: NJ malls — including Short Hills and Garden State Plaza — prepare to reopen next week
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NJ malls — including Short Hills and Garden State Plaza — prepare to reopen next week

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NorthJersey.comView CommentsAs New Jersey&nbsp;malls prepare to reopen, some local&nbsp;malls have shared details about the precautions they will implement to keep shoppers safe.Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, one of the largest malls in North Jersey, has issued guidance about what shoppers&nbsp;can expect when they return Monday for the first time in&nbsp;three months.&nbsp;Their plans include reducing hours, urging customers to wear masks and&nbsp;enforcing strict cleaning policies.“Westfield is excited to open our doors again to the Bergen County community as we begin our initial recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jay Daly, the mall's senior general manager, in a statement.The Bergen County mall plans to:&nbsp;increase cleaning measures, with a focus on high-touch areas;&nbsp;limit number of guests entering the property and in areas where shoppers may dwell or crowd;&nbsp;provide increased&nbsp;hand sanitizer stations; and implement social distancing, face masks and other preventative measures.The mall&nbsp;will reduce its hours to&nbsp;Monday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Retail in the county, which follows the region's Blue Laws,&nbsp;is prohibited on Sunday.The Paramus mall also plans new&nbsp;digital services, like&nbsp;LINE PASS, where shoppers can join a retail wait-list or book an appointment in advance from their home, car, or inside the mall through its&nbsp;Westfield app, and&nbsp;an "answers on the spot" program that provides real-time responses to shoppers via text or web chat during mall hours.Malls have been closed since March, when Gov. Phil Murphy ordered them shut as the state faced a surge in coronavirus cases.&nbsp;In the months since, state officials have slowly eased restrictions at the retail centers. First, they allowed curbside pickup, and eventually allowed retailers with outdoor entrances to reopen alongside nonessential retailers statewide.&nbsp;What to expect:For subscribers:Last week, Murphy , so long as mall operators enforce specific guidelines. Murphy said shoppers&nbsp;will be required to wear face masks while indoors, stores will be limited to 50% capacity and theaters and arcades cannot reopen.Mall food courts and other common areas where people congregate will also remain closed, while restaurants can be&nbsp;open for takeout service and outdoor dining only, Murphy said. The state also asked&nbsp;mall operators to devise plans to limit indoor congestion, such as creating entrance- and exit-only points.The Mall at Short Hills on Tuesday also unveiled its reopening plans, which&nbsp;largely mimic what The Plaza will implement.The Essex County mall will operate&nbsp;Monday through Saturday until 7 p.m., and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Mall walkers will be welcome at 10 a.m.&nbsp;Some of the steps the mall will enforce to help curb the spread of COVID-19 include: disinfecting the facility&nbsp;during the day&nbsp;and after-hours; encouraging face masks where it is not already mandated; using signage and decals to help with social distancing;&nbsp; offering hand sanitizer stations; turning off drinking fountains; and removing or cordoning off common area seating throughout the mall, in accordance with state guidance.At the Short Hills mall, some restaurants, including&nbsp;California Pizza Kitchen, The Cheesecake Factory and Primo Mercato, will continue to offer curbside pickup, officials said.Melanie Anzidei is the retail reporter for NorthJersey.com. To get unlimited access to the latest news&nbsp;about&nbsp;store openings&nbsp;and&nbsp;closings in North Jersey’s biggest malls, shopping centers and downtowns,&nbsp;.Email:&nbsp;&nbsp;Twitter:&nbsp;&nbsp;View Comments

NorthJersey.comView CommentsAs New Jersey&nbsp;malls prepare to reopen, some local&nbsp;malls have shared details about the precautions they will implement to keep shoppers safe.Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, one of the largest malls in North Jersey, has issued guidance about what shoppers&nbsp;can expect when they return Monday for the first time in&nbsp;three months.&nbsp;Their plans include reducing hours, urging customers to wear masks and&nbsp;enforcing strict cleaning policies.“Westfield is excited to open our doors again to the Bergen County community as we begin our...

NJ malls — including Short Hills and Garden State Plaza — prepare to reopen next week

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