Extended hours announced for Westmoreland, Monroeville malls

More than a year after the covid-19 pandemic first impacted Westmoreland and Monroeville malls, both locations are set to return to more normal hours.

Starting Thursday, hours at both malls will be extended to 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, mall officials announced. The malls are currently open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

On Sunday, Westmoreland Mall will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., while Monroeville Mall will be open from noon to 6 p.m.

The decision to extend the hours at both locations — owned by Chattanooga, Tenn.-based CBL Properties — comes days before mall officials are permitted to operate at 75% capacity as some pandemic mitigation orders are relaxed starting Sunday.

Malls have taken a hit since the pandemic started last year. Both malls shuttered last March when Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses to close to help curb the spread of the virus. At the time, restaurants at the mall were permitted to remain open for take-out or delivery orders only.

By May, retailers with outside entrances were permitted to reopen. Macy’s was one of the first, opening to customers May 22. While area malls started opening their doors weeks later, Westmoreland and Monroeville malls held off until the second week in June. When the malls reopened, they did so with reduced hours.

Those hours were first extended in October.

While mall hours are extended, individual store and restaurant hours may vary. A full list of store hours can be found on the Westmoreland and Monroeville mall websites.