What going to the mall will be like as coronavirus restrictions are lifted

Heading back to the mall once it reopens? Enjoy the free hand wipe — and get ready to follow some rules. As shopping resumes this month across some 20 states, including Georgia, Texas, Mississippi, South Carolina and Florida, malls and retailers are more concerned about promoting their safety measures to coax shoppers back into stores …

Heading back to the mall once it reopens? Enjoy the free hand wipe — and get ready to follow some rules.

As shopping resumes this month across some 20 states, including Georgia, Texas, Mississippi, South Carolina and Florida, malls and retailers are more concerned about promoting their safety measures to coax shoppers back into stores than touting the latest limited-edition Gucci sneaker drop.

Simon Property, the largest mall operator, has told tenants that entrances to its malls will be limited, and that it will be handing out free “sanitizing wipe packets with masks” to customers who request them, according to an April 30 memo obtained by The Post.

Food court seating will be reduced and reusable trays, utensils and cups will be eliminated altogether, according to the memo from Simon President John Rulli. In bathrooms, every other sink and urinal will be taped off.

“All play areas, stroller and valet stations and drinking fountains will be temporarily closed,” Simon’s memo advises. “Directional signage and floor decals will be deployed in the property to encourage better traffic flow. “

If shoppers become too lax about social distancing policies, Simon security will “actively remind and encourage” them to stay apart, Rulli writes.

Macy’s, which is reopening 68 stores this week, will have plexiglass shields at registers, as will Nordstrom. It’s temporarily suspending bra fittings and not allowing customers to try on dress shirts, while beauty departments are getting a complete overhaul at all department stores, with makeovers completely forbidden.

Confirming an exclusive report in The Post, a Saks memo to employees last week said housekeeping crews “will be visible throughout the day.” Escalator steps will be marked to promote social distancing and elevators will be reserved for customers who are either pregnant or over 60, according to the memo.

As Saks Fifth Avenue staffers returned to work last week at stores that re-opened in Houston and San Antonio, Texas, each got three company-issued black facemasks. Saks workers were not, however, required to wear gloves, with a memo last week noting that gloves “may provide a false sense of security” and don’t necessarily provide more protection, according to the CDC.

That’s in contrast to Macy’s, which advised in a Power Point presentation to employees last week that “Colleagues processing multiple goods or interacting with customers at high traffic registers will be provided gloves.”

The precautions and tight rules — which order stores to maintain rigorous cleaning standards throughout the day — have some retailers thinking twice about reopening their stores even in malls that now have shopping hours.

“If the foot traffic is not there, or the extra measures required are too much to bear from a payroll perspective, we could close our doors or not reopen,” one retail executive of a luxury clothing brand who did not want to be identified told The Post.

The first weekend of mall shopping in some states was underwhelming, as consumers decided to stay home instead of getting a dose of retail therapy, according to reports.

About 10 percent of the stores at the NorthPark Center in Dallas and CoolSprings Galleria in Franklin, Tenn., were even open over the weekend, according to retail consultant Gabriella Santaniello, president of A Line Partners.

“Mall traffic was extremely low,” Santaniello said, “with the exception of stores that were selling sneakers or fitness gear.”

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