Minnesota shops and malls work to reopen and set up measures to protect customers

EXCELSIOR, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota retailers are getting prepped and ready to reopen on Monday. With the governor giving the green light to open with a safety plan in place. But, not every store will have their doors open that soon.

The impacts of COVID-19 mitigations efforts have been felt all over. In Excelsior, it has hit the small city hard. Without sales, there's no tax for the city and no income for the store owners.

But come Monday, that will change.

For Ooh La La Boutique, while online sales have been good, the shopping experience isn't really there.

"We’ve just missed connecting with our community," said Kylie Tewes wiith Ooh La La. "We have so many loyal customers who come here. Of course, they’ve been doing an incredible job supporting us during this challenging time but we’re just excited to see everyone face-to-face again."

But expect some new safety protocols. There will be plenty of hand sanitizer, lots of cleaning and disinfecting, and a limited number of customers allowed inside the store.

"I know we’ll be steaming clothing," explained Tewes. "We’ll still be allowing people to try clothing on but then we’ll be taking it downstairs to steam, holding it for 24 hours before putting it back out on the floor."

"We won’t be accepting cash but credit cards that we don’t even touch," said Chloe Lappen of Pip & Pal. "You just put your card in and take it out."

Pip & Pal will also have a tray of latex gloves ready for use. The owner of Que Sera has a plan in place as well but she also trusts her customers.

"People are good at self-policing in Minnesota," said Mary Lauer from Que Sera. "I mean we’re big rule followers here, different than in other states, I think."

while things are pretty much good to go in Excelsior, many of the malls are still figuring things out. So much so, they won’t open when they’re allowed to, which is Monday.

For Southdale Mall, opening day is uncertain. Same for Ridgedale Mall and Eden Prairie Center. The Mall of America will open June 1.

Rosedale Center says they will be ready to open their doors this coming Monday but they’re asking customers to wear face masks.

Back in Excelsior, the traffic is already picking up. After an eight-week closure, opening day can’t come soon enough.

"It's what our business is," said Lappen. "It’s people coming into our shop. It’s kind of dire."

Of course, it's not just Excelsior. Retail stores all over Minnesota are opening Monday. But it still might be a good idea to call ahead and be sure.