Westmoreland and Monroeville malls announced Friday they have closed in accordance with Gov. Tom Wolf’s order that all non-life-sustaining businesses temporarily shutter to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Restaurants at the mall will be permitted to remain open for take-out or delivery orders only.
Both malls, which are owned by Tennessee-based CBL Properties, remained open throughout the week until Friday morning. Wolf asked all nonessential businesses to close Monday, but it was up to individual businesses to heed the order.
While retailers who don’t sell food or medicine and nail salons were considered nonessential, a handful of stores remained open Wednesday at Westmoreland Mall. At that time, Stacey Keating, CBL spokeswoman, said, “Mall hours will remain unchanged in order to allow our retailers the flexibility to operate.”
By Thursday evening, shortly after Wolf’s order went out, most stores were dark. While the order encompasses many businesses, those that are permitted to stay open include grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies, beer distributors, bakeries and auto parts stores.
Other area malls opted to close earlier this week. Indiana-based Simon Property Group, which manages Ross Park Mall, South Hills Village and the Grove City Outlets, announced it was closing all retail properties, including malls and outlets, starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday and running through March 29.
The Mall at Robinson announced it was temporarily closed beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday.
CBL officials did not say when the mall could reopen.
