Health & Fitness

Coronavirus: Natick Mall Reduces Hours, Postpones Easter Bunny

At one of the largest malls in New England, many stores are already closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Natick Mall will reduce hours for the foreseeable future due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The Natick Mall will reduce hours for the foreseeable future due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Neal McNamara/Patch)

NATICK, MA — The Natick Mall has reduced its hours in response to the spreading new coronavirus outbreak. The mall has also postponed the Easter Bunny, who was set to arrive at the mall this week.

The mall, one of the largest in New England, will only be open noon to 7 p.m. daily, except Sunday when the building will close at 6 p.m. The mall's owner also says cleaning crews are out disinfecting high-touch surfaces. Extra hand-sanitizer kiosks have also been placed around the building.

"We continue to monitor the situation and the government’s response," the mall said in a statement on its website. "If there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 at the shopping center, we will alert the community and work with local, state and federal health officials to ensure an appropriate plan is in place to help diminish the spread of the virus."

Find out what's happening in Natickfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

But just because the mall is open doesn't mean individual stores are. The mall warned visitors to check with stores before arriving.

As of Tuesday morning, 31 of the mall's more than 200 stores were listed as temporarily closed. That includes some favorites like the Apple Store, Lord & Taylor, Abercrombie and Fitch, Starbucks, and Urban Outfitters.

Find out what's happening in Natickfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Don't miss updates about precautions in your area as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.