Business Born Out Of Coronavirus Pandemic Opens In Columbia Mall

COLUMBIA, MD — When the coronavirus pandemic swept across the state, officials called up businesses to switch gears and help manufacture personal protective equipment for health care employees and front line workers. Hatch Exhibits of Elkridge launched Shield Pals, which is best known for its creative face shield designs.

Today, Shield Pals has customers in the dental and health-care fields in all 50 states and plans to open its first retail location in the country at The Mall of Columbia. Shield Pals will be located at The Mall in Columbia on Level 2 near Apple and Banana Republic where their full catalog of character face shields, sneeze guards, door openers and gowns will be available, along with face masks, hand sanitizers and other accessories from local suppliers.

Hatch Exhibits makes custom exhibits, events and retail environments for trade shows, events and exhibits. Shield Pals will be open to the public, Graham Dodge told Patch, and online customers will be able to choose a local pick-up option from the mall.

“Our mission is to bring joy and safety back into a post-COVID world,” said Chris McCormick, co-founder of Shield Pals. “We started that mission in healthcare, and now we look forward to serving that mission in retail.”

Barbara Nicklas, senior general manager of The Mall in Columbia, said they wanted a PPE retailer to be part of their reopening plan.

“But I didn’t know we would find a company that would bring so much creativity to that role,” she said.

When the new store opens June 26, it will have the same hours as the mall, Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday noon to 6 p.m. The mall will be reopening June 20.