A typical day in the new-normal work world of Spencer Jordan might feature a socially distanced private tasting for a new food tenant, the dispatch of drone footage to prospective tenants and the handholding of tenants anxiously prepping for the next reopening phase. "The project team is pretty much ready for battle every day under these extenuating circumstances," said Jordan, vice president of leasing and lead tenant negotiator at the iconic 90-acre, open-air Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio, and former leasing executive for GGP and Glimcher Realty Trust.

Even at the height of COVID-19 store closings, Jordan and team made certain each of Easton's 250 retail and restaurant partners never felt isolated. "We made a point to reach out and have dialogues with every single one of them, regardless of their economic and financial situations," said Jordan, whose team returned to the office this month.

Shopping center promotions during the pandemic have a new feel, she said. The center introduced Easton Sunset Series Drive-in Movies, running Tuesday through Saturday May 22-July 2 at the new Easton expansion. "Grab your quarantine crew, hop in the car, and watch a flick the old-fashioned way," beckoned Easton's website. The first four nights were quick sellouts. A drive-thru Easter Bunny event was also a big hit, spurring volumes of take-home orders from the center’s eateries.

Many of the center's physical retailers expanded their digital platforms during shutdowns, creating key sales adjuncts as physical traffic returns, said Jordan. Needs-based Easton tenants like Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Costco have remained open without interruption through the outbreak, she said.

As the center conducts routine 24-hour-long deep cleanings, the majority of tenants have opened. That includes sit-down restaurants, albeit still with some capacity limitations. The biggest leasing challenge continues to be travel restrictions for prospective tenants, said Jordan. "They aren't able to just hop on a plane like before and meet with our people for those important in-person interactions."

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