On June 8, 2020, most stores in Outlet Village Pulkovo welcomed back its visitors. During the first week after reopening, outlet village’s footfall was 20% higher compared with the same period in 2019. Such results indicate that customers are happy to return to the offline shopping format and trust the safety of open-air shopping galleries. At the same time, all the requirements of regulatory authorities to ensure the safety of visitors were met. The results of sales also prove customers interest. From June 8 to June 14, the turnover of stores increased by 35% compared with the same period last year.
“After this difficult period of self-isolation, our main goal has been to create a safe environment for our guests from Saint-Petersburg who now deserve to enjoy amazing moments in a beautiful outdoor environment, and also to create safe working place for our tenants’ personnel and our staff”, comments Antoni Gascon, Director of Retail Operations at Hines Russia. “At the same time, we aim to contribute to the reactivation of the city, in particular in the retail sector, where we have excellent relations with our tenants and partners with whom we share business objectives.”
Information materials on the territory of the shopping galleries remind to take care of one’s health. Outlet village’s guests are advised to remember to use masks, gloves and keep 1.5 meters distance, wash their hands thoroughly and regularly, purchase using contactless terminals and choose morning or afternoon hours for shopping. Also fitting rooms are currently closed.
Additionally, in stores and public areas, you can use hand sanitizers, all spaces are regularly disinfected, and the cleaning frequency is increased. Store staff and personnel also work in individual protective equipment. Every day before the start of the shift, temperature is measured, and health conditions are monitored.
In addition, the number of visitors who may simultaneously be in a store is temporarily limited. Together with the open concept of the outlet village territory, this makes it possible to maintain social distance. During the summer season, the doors of the stores are open, which contributes to the regular ventilation of the premises.
