Customers return to first California mall to reopen with coronavirus precautions

Allie Arredondo bought a pair of Adidas running shoes at the Yuba Sutter Mall on Wednesday. Seems like a mundane task, but she hasn’t be able to do this kind of shopping for nearly two months, as most businesses were shut down by local and statewide orders to slow the coronavirus spread.

“I just came to the mall today to see which stores were open,” Arredondo said. “I thought it was really nice to get out after being indoors for this shutdown.”

The Yuba City mall, officials say, became the first mall in California to open its doors to customers Wednesday. Local authorities instituted new health directives that defied the statewide order.

Arredondo, a Yuba City resident, said the big box stores that have been open don’t offer her what the mall does. She went looking for her favorite store, American Eagle, but it was closed. Instead, she got her nails done at a mall salon and grabbed the shoes for exercise.

“You can find your own style at the mall,” Arredondo said. “They just have more clothes and more variety of things there.”

While Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statewide order to close businesses not deemed essential remained in effect, Yuba-Sutter Health Officer Dr. Phuong Luu’s new health directive allows the reopening of certain businesses, including malls, with health precautions to prevent the coronavirus spread.

Luu’s new order went into effect Monday, and it also requires residents to wear masks or facial coverings in public when social distancing is not possible.

Natasha Shelton, the senior general manager for Yuba Sutter Mall, said the businesses are opening their doors while following the county public health recommendations.

“We’re giving our retailers, our businesses a chance to survive this pandemic,” Shelton said. “They have been deeply financially impacted with all this.

“We’re really striving for a healthy environment for our customers to feel comfortable to shop.”

Luu said Friday the new local health order was designed to slow the coronavirus spread while gradually reopening the economy to ensure vital services are provided in a safe manner.

But these businesses must operate with “appropriate modifications” that include social distancing requirements and other strategies to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which causes the infectious respiratory disease COVID-19. These businesses will also be required to post anti-COVID-19 protocols at their front entrances for customers to see.

Newsom responded Tuesday that the two counties are making a “big mistake” that could threaten the slowed rates of infections and deaths caused by the coronavirus.

Businesses not complying with coronavirus protocols

In a stern statement to residents and businesses Wednesday, Luu said, “It has become clear a number of businesses are not enacting required protocols to ensure the safety of the community.”

A county spokesman said officials have been getting calls from residents concerned about unsafe business activities and were seeing news reports about troublesome behavior.

Under Luu’s new order, restaurants, retail businesses, shopping malls, construction, real estate, agriculture, gyms and fitness studios, hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, spas, massage therapy centers and tattoo parlors can reopen.

“It is imperative to make all necessary adjustments to the way we conduct business in our community immediately so that we do not run the risk of seeing a resurgence and need to go back to stricter orders,” Luu said Wednesday.

Mohammad Hossain said he did not feel comfortable returning to work at a cellphone accessories kiosk in the mall. He didn’t think it was safe to allow all customers to enter the mall at the same time when it opened Wednesday morning.

“Working here is scary. Too many people here are not wearing masks,” Hossain said while standing next to the cash register at the kiosk. “There’s too many not maintaining social distancing.”

Hossain says he’s been working at that kiosk for 20 years. He said customers should only be allowed to enter the mall in limited numbers, similar to coronavirus precautions implemented at Costco stores.

Mall hours

The Yuba Sutter Mall’s tentative business hours will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The mall’s general manager said the hours are limited to give janitors to clean overnight.

“We’re really striving for a healthy environment for our customers to feel comfortable to shop,” Shelton said. “The janitorial teams are really focusing on sanitizing the high-touch areas. We have hand sanitizers available at every entrance.”

Shelton said they have placed cleansing wipes throughout the mall, especially in the food court.

“So, the customer can feel in charge of their own cleanliness,” Shelton said. “We’re learning as we go; there’s no manual.”

Mall officials are also encouraging businesses to have touchless purchases available for customers, such as Apple Pay or other digital devices and apps. There are decals on the mall floors to encourage social distancing as customers walk to stores.

Shelton said the mall is offering curbside pickup for customers, which gives an option for people who don’t feel comfortable walking inside. The restrooms are open, but Shelton said some of the sinks are closed to encourage social distancing.

The food court is open, but the tables have been separated 6 feet apart. There are floor decals to create social distancing in front of the food court cashiers, and the vendors are not handing out trays for customers.

Shelton said there was not a long line of people waiting to enter the mall when it opened Wednesday morning, maybe about 20 people. She said it’s probably because big box stores, such as Walmart and Target, have remained opened through the coronavirus shutdown.

“I think people coming here today are really focusing on specific items,” Shelton said.

Busy nail salon

Tweedy Lee, who has owned and operated Nail Tech salon at the mall for 22 years, said she was happy to return to work Wednesday. She had a line of customers waiting in chairs for their appointments outside her salon.

“I miss all my customers,” Lee said while working with one of her clients. “I miss not working.”

Lee’s salon opened simultaneously with the mall and customers signed up for appointments. Each nail appointment lasts about 45 minutes, and customers could leave their phone number to be called when their appointment is ready.

Lee and her employees were wearing masks and gloves as they worked with customers. She said they left some nail technician stations empty to create safe spacing between customers.

When asked if staying closed for nearly two months was a financial hardship for her, Lee said, “Money is important, but your health is more important.”

Beatrice Urquidez of Yuba City said the first thing she wanted to do was get her nails done at Lee’s salon once the local coronavirus order was lifted. She’s been a loyal customer for nearly 20 years.

“I’ve been dying for this day,” Urquidez said as Lee did her nails. “It’s a long time not to have your nails done.”

She next wants to get her hair done as soon as her hair dresser starts taking clients again. Urquidez, who was wearing a mask, said she’s not afraid of contracting the coronavirus. She has two masks and a box of disposable gloves handy.

“I don’t like it, but I can be safe,” Urquidez said about wearing a mask and gloves in public.

Zhen Wan, the owner and operator of YW Massage, got his first customer about noon. He massaged his client while wearing plastic gloves and a plastic face shield, and a white sheet kept Wan’s hands from making direct contact with his client’s clothes.

Wan wore a face shield similar to what healthcare workers have been using to protect themselves while treating COVID-19 patients.

Not all of the mall’s businesses were open. Employees wore masks at the stores and restaurants in the food court. At one jewelry store kiosk, masked employees were helping customers try on jewelry, such as necklaces and earrings.

One shopper drove 4 hours

Joanne Doerter says she drove for about four hours from her Hanford home near Fresno to shop at the mall because she heard it was going to be the first mall to reopen in California. She had never been to Yuba City before.

Doerter, who was wearing a mask as she explored the mall, said there were no malls opened in the Hanford area. She was going to do some shopping and get something to eat before returning home.

“I’m excited for it to get back to some normalcy,” Doerter said. “It feels great to be out among people.”