Tysons Malls Shift Hours, Increase Cleaning to Prevent Spreading Coronavirus

As malls shut down around the U.S, Tysons Galleria and Tysons Corner Center are currently still open.

Macerich, the operator of Tysons Corner Center, said the COVID-19 situation is being monitored and listed the preventive actions being taken.

“We want you to feel confident when visiting our properties,” according to Macerich’s website. “We recognize that places where people gather, like shopping centers, need to be clean, welcoming and safe.”

Macerich said that it’s using sanitizing and disinfectant formulas recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to clean entrance door handles, handrails and restrooms several times a day and play areas twice daily. The cleaning staff is wearing gloves and Macerich wants sick employees to stay home.

In a statement, Tysons Corner Center said staying open helps the employees at the mall:

Our centers and our retailers employ hundreds of individuals, across many job types, who are dependent on their jobs to meet their families’ needs.  We are doing our best to remain open to serve our community and our retailers and continually assess the situation. We remain in close contact with government health authorities and will continue to implement our intensified cleaning and sanitizing procedures as long as we remain open.

The mall currently has reduced hours of 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. on Sundays as of March 17.

Meanwhile, Tysons Galleria has adjusted its hours so that the mall is open from noon to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and until 6 p.m. on Sundays.

Tysons Galleria said that it is letting restaurants and bars decide how to operate in compliance with the recent cap of 10 patrons maximum. The mall is not allowing people to sit in the food court.

As for cleaning, Tysons Galleria says its staff is disinfecting “high traffic areas,” increasing the frequency and intensity of cleaning “touchable surfaces” and offering hand sanitizer dispensers.

Around the country, malls are closing due to orders from state officials or by operators over concerns that shoppers and employees could spread the virus.

Fox 5 reported that Simon Property Group announced on Wednesday that it would close all of its retail properties, which include the nearby Fashion Centre at Pentagon City. Taubman Centers, which operates Fair Oaks Mall, also plans to temporarily shutter its malls, USA Today reported.

Indoor shopping malls in New Jersey are closing due to orders from the governor, Retail Dive reported. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan recently ordered malls to close.

A growing list of retailers — including Macy’s, Sephora, Nordstrom, H&M, Bath & Body Works, Victoria’s Secret and Apple — are closing all of their locations temporarily, leaving the malls that are still open with limited retail options for shoppers.

Diners, though, can find food at malls as restaurants pivot to pick-up and delivery options. Here are what some of the restaurants are doing in the two malls.

Tysons Galleria:

• The Cheesecake Factory — curbside pick-up and delivery via Doordash
• Wildfire — temporarily closed
• Maggiano’s Little Italy — delivery via Doordash and take-out
• P. F. Chang’s — delivery, take-out and curbside pick-up
• Lady M Boutique — take-out

Tysons Corner Center:

• &pizza — take-out and delivery
• Barrel and Bushel — pick-up and delivery via Doordash
• Coastal Flats — take-out and delivery with a limited menu
• Eddie V’s — take-out
• Turkish Coffee Lady — temporarily closed

Shoppers and diners will need to check the websites and social media to see if the store or eatery is open, closed or just open for delivery and take-out options.