WILKES-BARRE TWP. — The Wyoming Valley Mall will reopen to the public at 11 a.m. Friday, the day Luzerne County moves into the green phase of the state’s pandemic recovery plan.

Also, J.C. Penney, one of the mall’s two anchor stores, will open today, according to an announcement posted to the mall’s website and Facebook page on Tuesday.

J.C. Penney will open to the public at noon today, but will hold a special early shopping hour for at-risk customers from 11 a.m.-noon.

The other anchor store, Macy’s, reopened June 8. Those stores are permitted to open in the yellow phase of pandemic recovery because they have entrances and exits to and from the outside.

Shoppers will find changes when most stores in the mall reopen Friday, after being closed for three months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In the green phase, retail businesses are permitted to operate but must cap occupancy at 50% of normal capacity.

The mall will operate under reduced hours, for now. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Some common areas, such as the arcade, will remain closed until further notice.

Also, some stores in the mall will reopen after Friday, according to the announcement. Those stores and projected opening dates include:

  • Hallmark will open Saturday.
  • Justice will open June 24.
  • H&M will open June 26.
  • Outlooks for Hair reopening is TBD.
  • Schuylkill Valley Sports reopening is TBD.

Other stores will operate under reduced hours, for now.

Visit https://bit.ly/2Y4E5wW for additional information.