Giant retail landlord Irvine Co., owner of Fashion Island and Irvine Spectrum Center, is keeping its shopping centers open even as competitors have shut their malls due to fears of the coronavirus spread.
The company sent a “Dear Neighbor” letter to its tenants stating its intentions to keep 39 shopping destinations in Orange County open to serve “essential needs and services” as it monitors the ever-changing health regulations.
Many retailers and shopping center operators have temporarily closed or dramatically altered business plans, either due to regulatory orders, concerns about worker and customer safety, or loss of business.
Health officials want the public to practice “social distancing” and venture out to public places only for those must-have goods or critical jobs. Thursday night, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a statewide “stay at home” order that limits the public to going out only for urgent necessities.
