Coronavirus closures lifted, shoppers return to metro malls, though many stores stay shut

Katie Akin
Des Moines Register

Shoppers returned to metro Des Moines malls for the first time in over a month on Friday. Some were old, some were young; some wore masks and others didn't.

The one constant? They were glad to be out of the house.

"I wanted to get out," Iowa State University student Kanon Peterson said. He said he was on an errand for his mom at the Jordan Creek Town Center and probably wouldn't have left the house otherwise.

Effective Friday morning, Gov. Kim Reynolds eased coronavirus-related business restrictions in metro Des Moines' Polk, Dallas and Jasper counties, and 19 other counties across the state where cases of COVID-19 have been steadily increasing.

The order — coming a week after a broader easing of restrictions in the state's other 77 counties — allows retail stores and malls to reopen with certain limitations, including operating at 50% capacity and adhering to social-distancing and sanitation guidelines.

In the 22 counties with tighter restrictions, fitness centers may open by appointment only, admitting just one person at a time. In the less restricted counties, fitness centers may operate at 50% capacity and must limit group classes to 10 people. Dentist offices, medical spas, drive-in theaters and campgrounds also were permitted to resume operating.

► MORE: After surprise order, Iowa retailers make quick decisions whether to reopen Friday

The dining area at the Jordan Creek Town Center remains closed.

Peterson said he was initially skeptical about the decision to reopen stores and malls, but he felt comfortable being in public.

"I feel safe, hopefully others feel safe," the 20-year-old said, his mask pulled under his chin.

While all major Des Moines metro malls reopened Friday, many stores within them remained closed. At Jordan Creek, only Scheel's sporting goods and a handful of smaller retailers were open, though at Valley West Mall, one of the anchors, Von Maur, was operating. Several store owners interviewed Thursday said they felt they hadn't had enough time to prepare for reopening.

Makayla Chambers, an 18-year-old college student, said she was surprised by the number of people milling around in Jordan Creek Town Center.

"I wasn't really expecting it, because there's not a lot of stores open," she said.

The volleyball player wore a mask and said she was trying to maintain social distancing as she browsed.

Aside from the shuttered storefronts and masked shoppers, several changes were evident: the children's play area and food court remained cordoned off, per Reynolds' order, and massage chairs and gumball machines were covered with black cloths. 

In a Wednesday news release, Jordan Creek general manager Randy Tennison said the mall, the metro's largest, was preparing for the "new normal."

“The safety and well-being of our retail partners and shoppers is of the utmost importance,” Tennison said. “… We are thankful for the opportunity to reopen our doors and look forward to welcoming guests back into the shopping center.”

Play areas in Iowa malls remain closed.

Over the next several months, malls in Des Moines and around the country may change even more. National analysts have predicted that the financial devastation of COVID-19 closures will be the final straw for many of the traditional shopping destinations, already struggling with online competition and changing shopper preferences.

Green Street Advisors, a commercial real estate research firm, expects more than half of mall-based department stores to close permanently by the end of 2021, a decline accelerated by COVID-19 closures.

"We've been concerned about the department store industry for a while, and so this is not new news that these operators are struggling," Green Street Advisors retail analyst Vince Tibone told industry publication Retail Dive. "But I think what we're going to see is a lot of disruption we were expecting over the next five to 10 years being pulled forward to the next two years."

J.C. Penney, a department store anchor at Valley West, is considering filing for bankruptcy. It did not reopen Friday at the mall due to difficulties getting protective equipment for employees, Valley West marketing director Trisha Barton said.

Similar chains, like Neiman Marcus and J. Crew, filed for bankruptcy in early May, while Macy's announced it was delaying a quarterly earnings report.

Katie Akin is a retail reporter for the Register. Reach her at kakin@registermedia.com or at 515-284-8041. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin.

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