Prairie Mall. Photo: Shane Clausing

By Shane Clausing

Prairie Mall

Prairie Mall reopens to public for first time since March

May 14, 2020 | 2:38 PM

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, the Prairie Mall reopened to the public as part of the Province of Alberta’s phase one reopening plan.

The mall saw an estimated 200 plus people enter its doors at 11:00 on Thursday morning.

About 50 percent of stores inside the mall were open while some are still preparing to re-open.

Throughout the mall, tapped arrow markers have been placed on the floor to keep shoppers in separate lanes. This rule was strictly enforced by mall security upon opening Thursday.

Nearly every store inside the mall had hand sanitizer stations at the front entrance for customers to use before they would enter.

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Those inside shops were told to keep a six-foot distance, and some stores had a ten-person limit.

The food court also saw some social distancing measures taken as well. Several fast-food restaurants did re-open, but the most notable difference at the food court was that 70 percent of the tables had been removed from the area to maintain social distancing. Tables that were normally close to each other are now more than six feet apart.

Many people that entered the mall on Thursday were happy to be back. Some were shopping but a majority of people that walked through the mall doors were trying to get a much-needed haircut.

“We’re all glad, but we also still have to be very cautious at this time,” said shopper Mindy Dorn. “I am a vain woman so I am here to get my haircut. Otherwise, I don’t think I’d be here. My husband has done it (cut her hair) a few times already so it’s desperately in need.”

Dorn told EverythingGP that the average wait time for a walk-in haircut for some shops was around an hour. Dorn also spoke about how it was encouraging to see the mall and shoppers taking the extra safety precautions.

“There are some people wearing masks so that’s very good to see. A lot of places I’ve gone into I haven’t seen anyone wearing a mask, so this is good.”

While some people were happy to get a much-needed haircut, some were eager just to see what was happening inside the mall.

“It’s good to see that we’re actually able to get out of the house and start enjoying some of these things together,” said Dan Efird. “I just thought I’d see what was open and it’s not as much as I’d hoped, but there are still are some things. It is good that the stores that are open are taking the necessary precautions to keep everybody safe until for sure that this is all over.”

The following stores were open to the public on Thursday:

• Action
• Below the Belt
• Ben Moss
• Boathouse
• Chatter’s
• Culture
• Telus
• Dollarama
• Eastlink
• Eclipse
• Edo
• Flip Flop Shops
• Fusion
• Hallmark
• Health Hut
• Jugo Juice
• Laura
• Le Chateau
• Manhandler Barbershop
• Mark’s
• Mobilinq
• Opa!
• Orange Julius
• Poko Popcorn
• Shefield & Son
• Shoe Warehouse
• Shopper’s Drug Mart
• Showcase
• Soft Moc
• Subway
• Taco Time
• Urban Planet
• Visique
• Warehouse One

It is unknown when more shops will open. Information on certain shops can be found on the mall’s website.

For now, the mall will continue to operate daily from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.