This sign greeted visitors to Lucky Brand in the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley Saturday. The store is reducing its hours until further notice effective this Monday, March 16, as fears of the coronavirus spread along with social distancing efforts.
The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley remains open, however some stores in the Upper Saucon Township lifestyle center are reducing their hours in the wake of the coronavirus’s spread in Pennsylvania and beyond.
Public health and safety officials have not recommended that non-essential retail businesses close in Lehigh and Northampton counties, however that recommendation is now in place in several nearby counties including Bucks, Montgomery, Chester and Delaware, which have reported more cases of the virus to date than other counties have.
A reduction in hours is also in line with social distancing recommendations that are being shared in news stories such as this one about how private enterprise can take steps to help control the spread of the illness.
Among the stores that have reduced their hours, according to posted signs, are Lucky Brand, Soma, Brooks Brothers, Ann Taylor, Justice and J.Jill.
A sign posted on the door to Lucky said its hours are being reduced effective Monday, March 16, when it will be open daily from noon to 6 p.m. until further notice.
“Our number one priority at Lucky Brand is the safety and well-being of our customers, associates, our business partners and the communities in which we operate,” the sign said. “Because of this we have made the decision to limit the hours of operation for our stores to better protect and help our communities during this unprecedented and trying time.”
The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley said it is remaining open but all on-property events have been temporarily postponed, in accordance with current guidelines from public health and safety officials. “If able, we will reschedule these events to a later date,” an announcement posted on the Upper Saucon Township lifestyle center’s website states.
The website also says cleaning staff at the center continue “to work diligently cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting throughout the day…focusing on areas and surfaces with frequent guest contact, including but not limited to: restrooms, seating areas, play areas, dining areas, guest services, trash cans, vending machines/ATMs, door handles/knobs, drinking fountains, charging stations and mall offices.”
The AMC Promenade 16 multiplex movie theater at the Promenade Shops remains open but with reduced seating capacity, in an effort to help with the social distancing guideline.
AMC CEO Adam Aron said seating capacity in all theater auditoriums has been capped at 50 percent, to help maintain recommended social distancing.
“Once we hit 50 percent of an auditorium’s capacity, movie screenings will show as being ‘Sold Out,’ even though by definition there will be a large number of unfilled seats. This will begin Saturday, March 14, and for now, will continue until April 30,” he said, adding that “for those AMC auditoriums with more than 500 seats, we will further reduce bookings to a maximum of 250 people in any case.”
For more information about local impacts from the coronavirus, click here.
For information about individual stores in the Promenade Shops and their hours, refer to the center’s website directory as well as individual company sites and Facebook pages.
