Santa Maria businesses are preparing for Black Friday amid COVID-19

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Holiday shopping is right around the corner, and this year businesses are taking extra precautions due to COVID-19.

The Santa Maria Town Center Mall will be open for Black Friday.

While customers are shopping for deals, the mall is reminding everyone to continue to practice physical distancing and wear a mask while they’re inside or in line to enter.

It is also reminding customers to wash their hands frequently and use hand sanitizer while shopping.

Some stores already began their Black Friday deals during this week to avoid large crowds on Friday.

Rue 21 is one of those stores, the staff is preparing for Black Friday and is enforcing that customers take safety precautions during the pandemic.

“We have a door monitor who has hand sanitizer for every customer to sanitize their hands when they walk in,” said Rue 21 assistant manager. “We will also have masks and gloves for those who don’t have any.”

The mall is also asking anyone showing COVID-19 symptoms to stay home.