By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org
The year of 2020 has been less than stellar which maybe why many residents have turned to the holiday season for a little cheer with Christmas music and decorations.
Even the holiday shopping seems to have started a little earlier this year.
“I think people just needed something that was a little brighter right now,” said Woodland Mall Marketing Director Cecily McCabe. “With so many things that had to be cancelled or be put on hold, it was great that we were able to offer some of the holiday traditions people look forward to.”
One of those has been visits with Santa. The visits are a little different this year with families required to make a reservation. Children are not able to sit on Santa’s lap and a clear plexiglass window separates Santa from guests but he is still accepting Christmas wishes and there are opportunities for photos.
McCabe said the mall also expects to be able to accommodate all of those Black Friday shoppers.
“We are expecting brisk traffic throughout the event,” she said. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, traditionally kicks off the holiday shopping season. The shopping season is shorter this year, three weeks instead of around four, but shoppers have been out scooping up early deals. In fact, many of the stores have extended their Black Friday deals to start either before Thanksgiving or run through Saturday or Sunday. In years past, Black Friday deals end in the afternoon on Friday.
Also some of the stores are allowing shoppers to purchase doorbuster items online as well, McCabe said. By allowing holiday shoppers to do this, it is hoped it will help with the capacity limitations that were put on the stores from the recent Michigan Department of Health and Human Services partial shutdown order. In that order, it states that retail businesses may have up to 30 percent capacity and must provide line control for those wishing to enter a store.
“The stores all have different capacities because those are determine by a different formula,” McCabe said. “In our common areas we will be able to accommodate our Black Friday customers.”
For those looking to avoid crowds, several of the stores are offering personal styling seasons, where a person can book a time either before or after the store closes and sometimes during regular store hours, to come in and meet with a personal shopper.
Woodland Mall also recently announced an online and hybrid shopping opportunities through its website.
The mall’s online sMall surprises Holiday Collection features three different gift packages. Through the Mall2Go program, guests can order from several of the mall stores and either pick up at the store or at designed curbside locations. There are both stores and restaurants participating in the Mall2Go program.
McCabe noted that the recent order does not allow dine-in at any restaurant but that restaurants at Woodland Mall, like many others, are offering take out.
For those wishing or planning to visit the mall in-person, McCabe had a few suggestions: if possible, shop early; if you are looking to avoid the crowds, come either Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday, because “while the traffic will be brisk the mall won’t be as jammed”; and to take advantage of the curbside delivery.
The mall will have extended holiday hours over the weekend, Friday 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sunday, noon – 6 p.m. Hours through the holidays will be 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday with Dec. 20 hours being 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Guests are asked to follow Center for Disease Control guidelines which include wearing a mask when inside and to practice social distancing by staying six fee apart.
