A shopper browses at Sears at Independence Mall in November 2010. StarNews photo by Paul Stephen.

Q. Why do department stores and shopping malls open at 10 a.m.? Mothers take their children to school at 8-9 a.m. and many have to be picked up at noon. Why not open at 9?

A. According to Jesse Tron, Media Relations Specialist at the International Council of Shopping Centers, department stores and shopping malls open at 10a.m. to minimize operating costs. Because many customers work during the day, stores stay open after normal business hours to accommodate their shopping needs. There is no policy stating when department stores or shopping malls should open, said Tron. Although opening at 10 a.m. has become the norm, it is ultimately the retailer’s choice.

Ed Koontz, general manager of JC Penny in Wilmington, said that business dictates the opening hours. Usually, department stores have few customers before 10 a.m., so it’s not profitable to open before that time.

Helen Lewis, general manager at Independence Mall, said that the mall’s smaller shops match their hours to those of department stores, such as JC Penny. Since it opened in 1979, Independence Mall has opened at 10 a.m. and closed at 9 p.m. Lewis pointed out that the retail market is evolving, so maybe one day, stores will open earlier.

RELATED LINKS:

What is the history of Independence Mall?

How many times does one have to walk around Independence Mall to have walked a mile?

Date posted: February 27, 2013

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