This Department Store Is Already Cutting Hours Due to COVID: Will More Have to Follow Suit?
The pandemic has challenged department stores in many ways. Since these stores are often located in enclosed shopping malls, they became less appealing to consumers when the COVID-19 outbreak was truly raging and vaccines weren't yet available to offer protection. And while some department stores have ramped up their shipping and distribution game to stay competitive, those efforts tend to pale in comparison to the options made possible by big-box retailers.
Of course, the survival of malls hinges on the success and stability of department stores. That's because these stores commonly serve as anchor tenants, drawing in customers and helping mall operators secure other leases.
But now, department stores are facing a new challenge: staffing issues due to the COVID-19 outbreak. And one major chain is already being forced to scale back its operating hours to deal with the problem at hand.
Source Fool.com
