Tasha Simons and her daughter, Bella, traveled half an hour to shop at Clay Terrace on May 4, the first day many retailers were allowed to reopen after Gov. Eric Holcomb lifted the stay-at-home order in most counties.
To their surprise most shops eligible to reopen were still closed.
“We joke this is a new kind of window shopping,” Tasha said. “We’re looking in literal windows, and we’re not going inside.”
Women’s clothing store Altar’d State was one of the few Clay Terrace shops to reopen May 4. Altar’d State Guest Lead Taylor Meyer said foot traffic was slow but that the shop met its sales goal for its first day back in business.
To promote social distancing the shop is only staffing two employees and allowing no more than 10 people inside at a time. Employees are also steaming clothes that customers try on before placing them back on the racks.
“We’re trying to make this as pleasant as possible for what it is,” Meyer said. “We understand the fear factor, but we also understand the happiness of freedom factor.”
Some businesses at Clay Terrace will have to wait a bit longer before having the option to open. Hair salons, spas and nail salons will be able to reopen May 11 by appointment only, and restaurants will be allowed to open at 50 percent capacity that day. The state plans to allow gyms and fitness centers to reopen May 24 if key health indicators remain positive.
“As the businesses that operate at Clay Terrace fall into a number of different industry categories, the opening dates of our tenants will vary,” said Jennifer Jones, Clay Terrace general manager.
Jones said each store at Clay Terrace will be required to follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s social distancing guidelines and will encourage shoppers to do the same. Cleaning protocols have been implemented throughout the shopping center.
Clay Terrace still hopes to host its Summer Concert Series, which typically begins in June. Visit clayterrace.com or follow Clay Terrace on Facebook or Instagram for information on individual store opening dates and the status of events.
The shopping center is partnering with the American Red Cross to host blood drives, with the next one set for 2 to 7 p.m. May 7. Make an appointment to donate by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-733-2767.
