My excellent adventure at Shoppers Mall

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/06/2020 (2038 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s Day 2 of Phase 2 of Manitoba’s gradual reopening, and I’m anxious to see what I’ve been missing at Shoppers Mall for more than two months.

Apparently, not very much.

As I drive into the sprawling mall parking lot just after lunch on Tuesday, the first thing that strikes me is the treasure trove of available parking spots, and I am afforded a prime location directly in front of the mall’s main doors.

Before heading into the mall, though, I head for Sport Chek to check out all the athletic equipment I will never use. Standing at the entrance, a pleasant young man peppers me with questions about my health and out-of-province travels (good and none). Apparently satisfied, he directs me to use hand sanitizer and checks the head counter as he sends me through.

I’m guessing the counter hasn’t been heavily used today as a smattering of customers wanders the aisles — in the specified direction — checking out the goods.

I head for the inside mall doors — which are now closed — and I make an abrupt about-face to where I started as I continue my adventure.

Once inside the mall, the second thing that strikes me is the sparseness of people and the lack of food-court tables that have been put away to keep people separated as much as possible. Just as well, I decide, since many of the eateries remain closed and the offerings are reduced to Tim Hortons, Thai Express and A&W.

Speaking of which, visitor Melanie Cooper munches on her A&W as she graciously allows me to ask her a few questions — at a safe distance, of course.

“I’m OK with that,” she says of the mall’s stores being allowed to reopen. It’s very different, she admits, and navigating the one-way entrances and aisles is a bit of a puzzle.

Amen to that.

As I venture unencumbered down the mall, I see many of the stores have separate entrances and exits, while others have staff in face masks posted at the door to greet customers.

At La Vie en Rose, a clerk with a full face shield stands by as shoppers check out the PJs (a.k.a. new office wear?).

Some have decided to play it safe and not reopen at all just yet.

Call it Spring? Call it closed.

Others still are open with limited hours to help reduce the spread of customers.

As I venture along, I am stopped in my tracks by a sign declaring “Grand Opening.” Can it be? Is there life after COVID-19?

Standing at the counter in his newly opened shop, Scorteus Leather Store owner Mukesh Patel greets me with a smile (I am guessing he’s smiling behind his face mask) and tells me the store threw open its doors on Monday.

“It’s looking quiet today,” he admits, but says the store was hopping with customers the first day.

“They were in looking around,” Patel says, adding as far as he knows, it’s the only leather store in town.

Back on the trail, I spot customers in face masks getting their nails done by manicurists in face masks and — FYI — customers peeking into FYidoctors as staff in face masks peek out.

Since I neither need glasses nor my nails done, I decide it’s time to leave and I head back out to the parking lot.

On the way to my car, I spot the theatre and I think to myself, “Hey, maybe I should take in movie before I head back to work.”

Oh, wait. The movie theatres didn’t open for Phase 2.

I guess I’ll have to wait for Phase 3 for that, along with my long-awaited trip to Sand Hills Casino.

» brobertson@brandonsun.com