Regency Square Mall remains open, although anchor JCPenney is closed temporarily and all common area chairs and couches, including food court furniture, are stacked or turned over to prevent public gathering and slow the spread of the new coronavirus.
JCPenney posted notices on its doors that it is temporarily closed until April 2 “to ensure the health and safety of our customers and employees.” It encourages shoppers to visit its website, jcp.com.
Bath & Body Works was closed temporarily, too.
Individual stores within the mall can remain open if they limit customers to no more than 50 at a time to comply with an order from Mayor Lenny Curry.
The mall operates 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.
Many stores were closed as of 7 p.m. March 18, although Regency Health Foods, Boost Mobile, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels and several others were open.
The 5 Bucks or Less store posted that it would close at 7 p.m. until further notice.
Five women exercised to music at YB Studio 545.
Several food-court tenants were operating, including First Coast Cookies taking fresh batches from the oven. Customers could only buy to-go orders because the food court chairs were stacked on the tables.
Common-area furniture was overturned, and notices said that “due to the coronavirus, all seating areas” were suspended until further notice.
Mason Asset Management and Namdar Realty Group, the mall ownership, issued a statement March 18:
“We are committed to ensuring the health and safety of all patrons, merchants, and employees at each of our properties. We have been monitoring the situation with regards to COVID-19 carefully, and we have taken a number of actions on-site to prepare, out of an abundance of caution for our local community.
“In order to protect both patrons, merchants and employees, we have ramped up cleaning efforts throughout common areas, and we have closed mall-operated entertainment including children’s play areas and carousels, as well as food court seating areas.”
They wrote that their properties are community centers “where families can gather the supplies they need to weather the next few weeks, and we are working hard to ensure their health and safety while our doors remain open.”
They said they are monitoring the situation and will adjust policies “per the ongoing recommendations of local officials and the CDC.”
That refers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.