New Jersey’s Indoor Shopping Malls Can Reopen on June 29

New Jersey’s indoor shopping malls will be allowed to reopen (with restrictions) effective Monday, June 29, Governor Phil Murphy just announced during his daily coronavirus press conference.

“Certainly, malls are part of New Jersey culture and lure,” Murphy said during his daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton. “We want these businesses to get back up and running responsibly and safely.”

Malls across the state have not yet reacted to today's announcement to confirm their plans.

The state’s malls, which have been shut since March 17, will be subject to safety guidelines.
Those guidelines include:

- Customers will be required to ear face masks at all times (except those with medical conditions and children under the age of 2).

- Capacity will be limited to 50% in stores and the mall.

- Communal areas (such as seating and food courts) will remain closed.

- Indoor dining at mall restaurants cannot resume. However, those eateries can offer takeout, delivery, and outdoor dining.

- Malls will also be asked to establish policies to protect customers (including safe entrance and exit policies and sanitization procedures).

Entertainment businesses inside the state’s shopping malls (such as arcades and movie theaters) will remain closed.

Non-essential indoor retailers (which are not located inside shopping malls) opened their doors to shoppers for the first time since the COVID-19 shutdown on Monday.

Meanwhile, as the state moves through phase 2 of their reopening plans, hair salons, and other personal care businesses are permitted to reopen this upcoming Monday (June 22).