Lexington retail stores will be able to open Wednesday. Some prepare, others wait
Retail stores in Kentucky can reopen Wednesday, and while some prepared to open their doors with new precautions in place, others held off.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced late last month that retail stores would be permitted to open on May 20, but required that some guidelines be followed in an effort to prevent a second spike in cases of COVID-19.
The guidelines include mask requirements and limits on the numbers of people in stores. It is recommended that stores keep at or below 33 percent of their usual permitted occupancy in hopes of making it easier for people to keep 6 feet from each other as recommended.
Stores are deciding on a case-by-case basis if they are ready to open their doors, or if it would be safest to wait.
Mall and shopping centers open
After being closed for nearly two months, Fayette Mall announced it will open Wednesday. Not all stores in the mall are opening. The ones that are were asked to follow guidelines to ensure social distancing within the stores and common areas, according to the mall’s website.
Dick’s Sporting Goods and Allsports in the mall have had curbside pickup during the closure. Dick’s Sporting Goods is set to reopen Wednesday, and a recorded message at Allsports says it will open as soon as it’s permitted.
The Apple Store at the mall is set to stay closed “until further notice,” according to an automated phone message.
Other stores in the mall have not announced whether or not they will open.
The mall is asking retailers to adhere to all guidelines and restrictions put in place by local officials and health departments. It is also closing some common areas, like couches where people sometimes gather and the children’s play area. When the food court is later able to open, it also will have altered seating, according to the mall website.
Other open-air shopping centers, like The Summit at Fritz Farm, have remained open for curbside pickup at some retailers during the COVID-19 outbreak. Stores will open for in-person shopping on an individual basis.
Local retail locations make changes
While some small and large individual retailers across Lexington are unwilling to allow in-person transactions yet, others prepared Tuesday to greet customers in stores on modified schedules or with changes in routines.
Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington Green will open on Wednesday with adjusted hours of business. The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sundays.
The bookstore has been offering online shopping and curbside pickup and will continue to do so even after opening for in-store shopping, assistant general managers Courtney Ward and Sarah Hewlett said.
The store worked Tuesday to set up for the opening by placing signs and stickers to encourage social distancing within the store. The store is implementing one-way entrances and exits, as well as limiting the number of open cash registers.
Booksellers have been informed to keep a 6-foot distance from customers when discussing books, Ward said. Carts have also been set up for customers to place books that they’ve touched and looked at but don’t want to buy. The books can be sanitized before being put back on the shelves for other shoppers, Ward said.
The bookstore itself is large, but occupancy will be kept down to 33 percent of what the store can hold per state recommendations, Ward said.
If shoppers forget their masks, they may be provided one or be able to buy something that could serve as a face covering at the store, Ward said.
The store has put a lot of work into studying and implementing all guidelines and recommendations to keep sellers and shoppers safe, Hewlett said.
CD Central on South Limestone is among the stores in Lexington that are not planning to open Wednesday. Owner Steve Baron said he and his staff discussed it and came to the “mutual decision” that they would wait at least a few days.
Baron said he would watch how other stores go about opening and the results before making the decision.
“We’re going to see how things go the next few days, we don’t want to rush it,” Baron said. “We have concerns about the health of our staff as well as our customers, we want to make sure we’re doing it right and don’t rush it.”
The store has been offering online shopping and curbside pick up for a while, Baron said.
“Obviously it’s just a fraction of the normal business, but we’re glad to be able to do something,” Baron said.
When the store does open, it is prepared to take precautions with sanitation and occupancy. The owner will also require customers to wear masks and continue to offer curbside pickup to help keep numbers in the store down.
“We’re eager to open, we’d love to have doors open for browsing,” Baron said. “But we want to make sure we’re doing it in a safe way.”
This story was originally published May 19, 2020 at 5:46 PM.
