As Shanghai eases out of its COVID-19 lockdown, downtown shopping malls are slowly coming back to life. On May 23, the Bund Finance Center in Shanghai's Huangpu District reopened its doors, welcoming back over 50 stores.
Yang Gengyu, a bookstore owner at the mall, reported a steady stream of customers, mostly from nearby communities, as the city continues to enforce restrictions on closed-off and controlled areas.
"We have 50 to 60 customers a day. It's not like before the outbreak, but demand is gradually growing," Yang said.
According to Shanghai's Commerce Commission, all shopping malls in the city will be allowed to open offline starting June 1. The Bund Finance Center is preparing for a full recovery, with CEO Zhao Dan announcing plans to reopen around 200 stores in the beginning of June.
"The shopping mall will enforce strict virus prevention measures and give notice to our stores," Zhao said. "We hope to see a full recovery soon."
Other downtown shopping malls, such as Global Harbor and Plaza 66, have also reopened offline. However, customers still need to provide negative COVID test results taken within the past 48 hours to gain entry. This requirement is expected to be relaxed to 72 hours starting June 1.
Shanghai local authorities announced that starting June 1, residents will need to show negative COVID results taken within 72 hours to use public transportation or visit public areas.
