Crowds Are Back At West Edmonton Mall But It’s Nothing Like You Remember (PHOTOS)

The largest mall in North America is back in business. Ever since a bunch of Alberta stores reopened on May 14, crowds have been making their way back to West Edmonton Mall. While the popular mall may be getting more foot traffic than it has over the past couple of months, the experience is still pretty different than what you may remember. 

Photos have started to surface online of what the mall looks like post-reopening.

A set of photos posted by user Jason Mills on Twitter shows that crowds are now lining up to enter their favourite stores. 

While some parts of the mall are packed with crowds, others are sitting completely empty. So empty that it's almost spooky.  

The user's caption reads, "Had to venture to West Edmonton Mall for a MacBook repair. Total mixed bag. A lot of stores still closed. A lot doing pickup only."

They added that the lineup at Lululemon was "wild." Apple was apparently so busy that the person had to book an appointment to skip the line. On top of that, the famous waterpark has also been drained.  

An employee of the mall, Laura Sorenson, told Narcity that there are line-ups "everywhere at the mall."

In the photos provided by Sorenson, you can see stores like H&M and Zara wracking up those lines. 

[rebelmouse-image 25982356 photo_credit="Courtesy of Laura Sorenson" expand=1 original_size="1342x1792"]

[rebelmouse-image 25982357 photo_credit="Courtesy of Laura Sorenson" expand=1 original_size="1342x1792"]

In an email sent to Narcity on May 12, the West Edmonton Mall told Narcity about all the changes they were putting in place at the mall.

Stores can ask customers to leave if they're found showing any COVID-19 symptoms. 

The food courts are open, but they're only operating at 50% capacity. So a whole bunch of chairs and tables have been taken apart to allow distancing. 

On top of that, attractions like the underground aquarium and the waterpark are also closed until further notice.

[rebelmouse-image 25982358 photo_credit="Courtesy of Laura Sorenson" expand=1 original_size="1342x1792"]

[rebelmouse-image 25982359 photo_credit="Courtesy of Laura Sorenson" expand=1 original_size="1342x1792"]

Guests are also encouraged to wear masks while shopping at the mall. 

A YouTube video posted by an account named Best Edmonton Mall details how the mall looks in the wake of reopening. Matthew Dutczak, the man behind the account, spoke to Narcity and shared his thoughts. 

"The vibe in the mall is surprisingly positive! It feels like walking out into a warm spring day after a long winter," said Dutczak.  

Most people are following the rules but Dutczak said that he did notice a few groups of teens and adults, who he thinks were not from the same household, "hanging out together with no consideration for distancing." 

All in all, the mall has done a great job in making it easy to follow the rules, says the YouTuber.