Eerie photos of reopened malls show thinned-out food courts, roped-off play areas, and masked shoppers

• Malls are starting to reopen in some states.
• Mall operators have implemented some changes to enforce social distancing and more stringent hygiene practices.
• Take a look at what reopened malls looked like in Texas, Oklahoma, and Indiana.
• Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Malls have begun to reopen in certain states that are easing their restrictions on businesses.

Many of these malls are operated by Simon Property Group, the largest mall operator in the US, which reportedly said in an internal memo last week that it was aiming to have 49 of its shopping centers open by May 4. They had been closed since mid-March.

These and other reopened malls look pretty different from their pre-COVID-19 selves, however. They’ve reduced hours, limited capacity, placed markers to enforce social distancing, and required shoppers to wear masks inside stores.

Here’s what it looks like inside some of the malls that have reopened:

Ingram Park Mall opened in San Antonio on Friday.

Texas is allowing some stores in rural areas to open up to 50% capacity, but most parts of the state are limited to 25% capacity.

Source: Forth Worth Star-Telegram

Some stores have stayed closed for the time being.

Children's play areas remain shut down.

Penn Square Mall, another Simon property, also opened on Friday in Oklahoma City.

Signs at the entrance directed customer traffic to one side. Only two of the mall's seven entrances were open, according to the Associated Press.

Mall operators blocked off certain sinks in restrooms to encourage social distancing. Only one of the mall's two restrooms was open.

Seating capacity in the mall's food court was also reduced from 600 seats to 170.

Employees wore masks and were told to follow the CDC's recommendations for frequent hand washing.

NorthPark Mall also opened on Friday in Dallas.

Employees in masks and gloves opened doors for shoppers and monitored crowds.

In a sign of the times, a mannequin was fitted with a fashion mask at Dallas' Highland Park Village Mall, which opened on Friday.

All employees and visitors at the Galleria Dallas were required to wear face coverings.

Source: Galleria Dallas

Many have chosen to stay home even as some stores reopen.

It was a similarly eerie scene at the newly reopened Greenwood Park Mall in Greenwood, Indiana.

Indiana is allowing retailers and malls to reopen in most parts of the state, as long as residents follow social distancing guidelines and wear face coverings.

Hand sanitizer stations at The Woodlands Mall in The Woodlands, Texas, which reopened Tuesday, emphasized the frequency of cleanings.

Some stores have blocked off entrances as they've reached capacity limits.

This sign took a more cheeky approach as it reminded shoppers to keep social distancing.