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Shoppers: Hampton Roads malls are like 'ghost towns,' are they next to close?

Unlike other states, Virginia isn't ordering malls to close. MacArthur Center and Greenbrier Mall are still open right now, but shoppers wonder if that's necessary.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Eunice Hutchings opened every door with a Clorox wipe.

"I don't even touch my own car door, so I might be on the panic side," Hutchings said, laughing at her precautions.

The Chesapeake grandmother picked up glasses for her husband at Greenbrier Mall Tuesday. She said the mall felt empty, and she was surprised it was even open.

"I guess it just felt like I shouldn't be in there either," Hutchings said. "It entices people to come out and I thought we were trying to do the opposite but it's open."

Unlike other state governors, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam hasn't ordered malls to close amid the COVID-19 threat. He's recommended staying away from groups larger than 10 people, but malls are still free to operate business. 

However, even with MacArthur Center, Greenbrier Mall and other shopping centers still open, some individual stores are opting to close. In Norfolk, the Apple and Sprint stores are closed. Regal Cinemas closed its movie theaters as well.

GameWorks Chesapeake closed Tuesday as well. GameWorks CEO Philip Kaplan said the company made the same decision for all of its locations across the country.

"We were under orders in a majority of locations so we just made the decision to not go case by case, let's shut down nationally and be responsible in these circumstances," Kaplan said.

Kaplan said the company's intention is to "preserve our team" and reopen as soon as possible when "the crisis is on its way out."

Some shoppers said they're thankful malls are open as an escape. Outside of Greenbrier Mall, Amy Neal shared her story. 

Neal is moving to Hampton Roads from Kansas and can't access her new home until Thursday. Other than a hotel room, she doesn't have a place to stay and is relying on restaurants and businesses for food and activities.

"It's worrisome for those people who are not trying to [break] the rules, but for those of us who don't really have an option at this point because we have nowhere to be," Neal said. "It's something for us that we need right now."

In Norfolk, Duncan Alonso said he was stir-crazy in his home so he decided to take a walk, and walked through MacArthur Center.

"It's like a ghost town in there, honestly," he said.

Alonso said he wouldn't be surprised if malls are the next to close to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"I could totally get it if they decide to shut down the actual mall because it feels like everything else is following suit and if there's no business there's no real reason for it to be open," Alonso said.

On Tuesday afternoon, Norfolk's Waterside District also announced it would be closing for business in response to Governor Northam's recommendations. 

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