malls are coming back

Houston-area malls reopen under new 'retail to-go' guidelines

Malls such as The Galleria are slowly reopening under "to-go" orders.

Photo courtesy of Bihl Haus Arts

Several malls throughout the Houston area plan to open for 'retail-to-go' starting on Friday, April 24, as a slow reopening of Texas is underway.

Gov. Greg Abbott issued orders last week that allow retail shops to sell items curbside, lets visitors return to state parks and puts doctors back in operating rooms after they were banned for weeks from performing nonessential surgeries.

Deerbrook Mall in Humble will open four essential retailers plus one restaurant. According to its website, this includes Chipotle, Dick's Sporting Goods, and GameStop for curbside pick-up. LensCrafters is also offering curbside pick-up and eye appointments only. Meanwhile, Southern Dental is running by appointment only.

The Woodlands Mall is planning to open the following stores and restaurants: Dick's Sporting Good, Flemings Prime Steakhouse, Nordstrom, P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Panera Bread, Peli Peli, The Cheesecake Factory, Xfinity, and Macy's. Several more restaurants are also offering carry out and delivery services.

Baybrook Mall in Friendswood will open essential stores such as The Container Store for curbside and appointment-only visits. Dick's Sporting Goods, Total Wine, Fidelity, LensCrafters, and Sleep Number are also open by appointment only. Also, there are more than a dozen restaurants open for carryout and delivery.

First Colony Mall in Sugar Land announced on its website stores and restaurants such as The Cheesecake Factory, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Grimaldi's Pizzeria will be open with limited hours. I Luv Pho will only open on Friday through Sunday. Meanwhile, LensCrafters will be open by appointment only.

Memorial City Mall said Contact-Free Curbside Pick-up hours will be held Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. You also have an option to use an UNO locker pick-up. The participating retailers include the following: China Baroque, Dillards, Finish Line, GameStop, Go! Games & Toys, Hartmann Jewelry, Loft, Marlo Miller Boutique, Sun & Ski Sports, Target, and Texas Currency Exchange.

Shoppers are being asked to call ahead to check retail store hours at each of these locations.

The Galleria and Tanger Outlets in Texas City are both finalizing a plan for 'retail-to-go' and we are waiting for the official count of how many retailers will be participating.

A spokesperson at Tanger Outlets said arrangements are also being made so that purchases made online or over the phone can delivered directly to the shopper's vehicle via curbside delivery.

Guidelines
Customers who shop at the retail shops must follow the following guidelines:

Customers may purchase items from a retail location for pickup, delivery by mail, or delivery to the customer's doorstep, but may not enter the premises.

Retail to-go
All payments should be done over the phone or internet, if possible, and contact should be minimized if remote payment is not available.

Purchased items should be delivered by the employee to the backseat or trunk of the customer's vehicle whenever possible to minimize physical contact with the customer.

Employees must wash or sanitize their hands after each interaction with a customer, and whenever possible, must disinfect any item that came into contact with the customer.

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Continue reading on CultureMap news partner, ABC13.

shopping

hey, joe

Trader Joe's sets Cypress opening date, confirms Bellaire plans

Photo courtesy of Towne Lake by Caldwell Communities Facebook page

Trader Joe's is expanding, and shoppers couldn't be happier.

Two new Houston-area communities announced that they would be opening Trader Joe's locations, bringing the total number of stores in the city to nine.

On Thursday, December 18, the Towne Lake by Caldwell Communities Facebook page posted that the new Trader Joe's at 9715 Towne Lake Parkway would open at 8 am on Friday, December 19. Unsold but still-good products left over at the ribbon cutting ceremony will be donated to local nonprofits.

"Not only does Trader Joe's have great prices on food, drinks, and treats, but as a hobby florist I always find the best selections for my floral arrangements," Copperfield resident Kelsey Zuchlewski tells CultureMap. "Now, with the convenience of having a location right here in our neighborhood, I'm in heaven."

Confirmation of the Cypress opening followed an announcement on the City of Bellaire's Facebook page that a Trader Joe's would take over the former Randall's at 5130 Bellaire Blvd. The post did not specify when construction will begin or when the location will open.

"This highly anticipated addition to our community will bring a unique grocery shopping experience and further enhance the vibrant retail landscape of Bellaire," the post said. "We look forward to welcoming Trader Joe’s and will share updates as the project progresses."

The California-based chain of stores entered Houston in 2012, first in the Woodlands and then, more famously, at the old Alabama Theater space on Shepherd, where it has become a beloved local institution. Since then, the chain has expanded throughout Houston, including a Kingwood location that opened earlier this month.

Over the year, Trader Joe's has built a loyal following that rivals even H-E-B. Staff at the stores (wearing Hawaiian shirts) are trained to be extremely friendly and helpful, as well as being encouraged to purchase ownership in the company. The selection is smaller and more curated than other larger grocery stores, leading to a boutique experience that many consider to be surprisingly affordable. At least one viral TikToker claims that Trader Joe's beats H-E-B's price, although the latter undoubtedly has a larger selection of goods.

openings trader joe's