CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — We know that Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, but how safe is it during a pandemic?
2 On Your Side checked in with some local malls to see what preparations they're making to ensure everyone is safe on Friday.
No one returned calls or emails over at the Walden Galleria mall when asked what they will do to prepare for Black Friday. However, when you stop by, you'll notice a difference in the parking lot.
Several parts of the parking lot have been completely blocked off. That's outside stores like JcPenney, DSW, Macy's and Lord and Taylor.
The Walden Galleria is planning to have Santa Claus at the mall on Black Friday and reservations made ahead of time have been "strongly encouraged" if you do plan to see him.
When the mall reopened this summer, health guidelines included wearing a mask and there were signs to remind people to social distance. Each of the 200 stores were also required to have their own safety guidelines in place.
Some stores also have a curbside pickup option available.
2 On Your Side reached out to the Erie County Department of Health, where officials there say, "Our department and environmental health division are contacting 'big box' stores, discussing current guidelines and going over these stores' plans for Black Friday."
The Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls provided this statement:
"We will be closed on Thanksgiving this year, and opening to the public beginning at 6am for “Day After” shopping. Our expanded holiday hours offer a wide variety of convenient ways to tailor the shopping experience so people can shop early, late, where, how and when they choose depending on their needs. So much has changed this year, and so has the shopping experience, with retailers featuring holiday sales all season rather than focusing on one day. There are also new options for getting your shopping list completed, including more Curbside Pickup, dining takeout and in-store pickup.
Visitors to our centers can have peace of mind this holiday season, thanks to updated wellness protocols that include intensified cleaning and sanitizing, plus use of electrostatic sprayers; meeting local requirements for mask-wearing/providing masks as needed; social distance queuing and more. Our property also features an enhanced, high-quality HVAC system with hospital-grade filtration.
We are ready for this year’s holiday season that will surely be different, but special and enjoyable all the same."
Over at the Niagara County Department of Health, officials say they do not work with big box stores but are referring everyone to their website on public health guidelines from the CDC. They also say there have been no complaints over at the Fashion Outlets.
