With apprehensive optimism, after two months of off-screen windows and unregistered cash registers, the malls will open under strict sterility. • Where to distribute masks, who will not measure heat and whether there will be equal offers?

One of the important landmarks - for both business owners and customers - in what is known as the "exit strategy" from the current dystopian reality, is mall activity. These will open tomorrow, and will breathe some air into private consumers' wardrobes, but especially at the fashion chain's registers and mall owners. Some, by the way, have reduced rents.

The managers of the indoor shopping centers were vigorously preparing signs, stickers, roll-ups, various facilities and alcohol. Some malls will give you free masks, others will direct you to nearby vending machines. 

The new routine in most malls will include heat measurement and masking at the entrance, alcohol positions, two-meter marking, disinfection and permanent cleaning, and more. The fashion chains that will open their branches include Fox, Castro, H&M, Golf, Delta, Mania Jeans and many more. 

Shopping anxiety

Mall owners estimate that most stores will open their doors, but they do not yet know who will surely do so. Most of them were still in the process of learning the regulations yesterday. Meanwhile. We pulled some of them in the midst of OCD fever in the empty canyons.

"We have a special cleaning team that goes through three times a day in all the places in the mall," says Dan Pilz, CEO and owner of Dizengoff Center in Tel Aviv. "There will be queue separation for the distance, and heat customers will be measured at the entrance. If you forget to bring a mask, you can buy one automatically. There will be disinfectant positions in all public areas. A team of scouts will constantly check on crowding situations. " 

Another hurdle for them, which not everyone has an answer for, is the new maximum number of visitors allowed by regulations. "That's a good question," he smiles, "because we're trying to figure out the account. Impressions are in the area of ​​4,000-3,500 people, not including stores. All kinds of formulas have been determined, and we're studying it now. We have an office and residential tower. That is until the opening. " 

Moshe Rosenblum, the CEO of Ofer Malls, also talks about a thorough "Passover cleaning", but not only. "We control the mall with the new instructions and check the customers with thermometers at the entrances. We also have alcohol counters, and we also have an automatic counting system. This is how we know how many can be at any given moment. "

The gold mall in Rishon Lezion and Oshiland in Kfar Saba are initially expected to distribute masks to customers. Yossi Legaziel, CEO of the Golden Mall: "All the entrances to the mall will have facilities for alcohol. In the beginning we will hold masks for the benefit of those who forget and provide masks. The mall has been thoroughly disinfected in public places, entrances and services. " 

Mall, not a health fund

But language is a novelty. Gaziel does not want to turn the mall into a health fund, and his team is working on a mechanism for placing automated heat measurement systems. "We less want to deal with heat measurement for customers," he admits. 

Gaziel is not the only one who is unaware of this. "If a heat test is not required later, we will not do it, because 70% of our entrances are with customers' vehicles right into the parking lot," concludes Naama Blitsky, CEO of Mevaseret Mall near Jerusalem. With vehicles, too, so we can stop at the restricted entrance. "  

The seven-star mall in Herzliya will remain closed to the gym and bowling. Vice President of Marketing, Hadas Lamed Samaritan, addresses tomorrow with authentic shopping anxiety. "We are all returning to another world of consumerism." 

The big networks will open?

Rosenblum: "I expect 90-80 percent of the stores will work tomorrow." 

Filz: "As far as we know, all the networks are preparing to open. We are pretty convinced that the majority will open. As for the restaurants and cafes, we still do not know if they will open or not, because they can only operate in the format of Take Away." 

Blitsky: "95% of stores will open, some of the chains will take two days because of estimates. Some stores have already brought summer merchandise and some have already arranged last week. I'm sure they'll do specials. In my opinion, they'll wait until next week when all stores are open. Clothes and they have collections to eliminate. " 

Learn Samaritan: "I don't know if everyone will open, but I believe the majority does. Today I walked around the mall and the employees started to organize the stores." 

Limiting the number of visitors at a given moment may not hurt revenue?

Gaziel is not worried. "I suppose, overall, in a full day's deployment, the quantity will not be significantly damaged because not everyone arrives at the same time. The load is usually at noon and in the evening. During the rush hour we will see how we streamline, so it will be more pleasant and easy."  

Belitsky hangs hopes in IKEA queues. "The emphasis now will be on helping tenants move the funds back. In the beginning, neighborhood malls will get more. Maybe the big ones will be a little scared at first, but that's just a gut feeling." 

Want to get rid of merchandise

Nitzan Ariel, CEO of the City of Kenyon Mall in Netanya, is optimistic but believes it is a gradual process. "At first there will be fewer and slower people. These will not be the quantities in view of the restrictions, but slowly as we go through May and part of June it will be different. " 

You say that a certain attack is expected anyway. Can we conclude from this that stores will take advantage of the situation and increase promotions, such as the food chains? 

The unanimity here is borderline. Filz: "Many networks have a lot of merchandise to get rid of." Gaziel also estimates that there will be quite a few lucrative offers. Dotan: "Our goal is to strengthen dozens of business owners and help them get back to business. In the near future, we will embark on a wide marketing campaign for businesses and restaurants." While Ariel summarizes everything in one sentence: "Everyone is crazy to go back to normal."