Santana Row’s The Pickup Allows for No-Contact Retail

SAN JOSE—The state can begin to move into stage two of modifying the stay at home order on May 8, based on the state’s progress in meeting metrics tied to indicators, according to governor Gavin Newsom. This announcement comes as the state continues implementation of the four-stage framework to allow Californians to gradually reopen some lower-risk businesses and public spaces while continuing to preserve public health.

Stage two sectors including some retail, manufacturing and logistics businesses will be able to reopen as soon as tomorrow if those firms can meet the guidelines provided by the state. Some examples of businesses that can open with modifications include bookstores, clothing stores, florists and sporting goods stores.

This stage two order fits into Santana Row’s new contactless shopping option called The Pickup, a dedicated drive-up lane that is similar to a fast food drive-thru. Federal Realty is rolling out this new pick-up program at all of its retail center properties in the US and Bay Area.

The program is being made available to all tenants and customers looking for comfortable ways to return to shopping at familiar stores. The Pickup expands on an already popular curbside pick-up program that was rolled out for restaurants at the start of the COVID-19 mandatory closings. Customers will be able to place orders directly with stores by phone or online and arrange for same day pick-up or a day most convenient for them.

Federal expects to grow The Pick-Up with plans to expand on the service, in response to the changes in customer shopping habits. The Pick-Up will be available tomorrow at Federal properties throughout the Bay Area including Santana Row, Old Town Center, Kings Court, Westgate Center, San Antonio Center, East Bay Bridge and others.

“We see The Pick-Up as a long-term solution to provide guests with a new, even more convenient way to shop or dine. This supports our multiple omnichannel merchants and the customers they serve,” Collette Navarrette, Federal Realty director of marketing at Santana Row, tells GlobeSt.com. “Additionally, this provides a more robust customer engagement solution than solely online shopping and allows diners to connect in a more direct way with our restaurants.”

Not all stage two businesses will be able to open Friday with modifications. Other stage two sectors such as offices and dine-in restaurants will be part of a later stage two opening. The announcement for Friday’s openings does not include offices, seated dining at restaurants, shopping malls or schools.

As the governor noted last week, the state is working with school districts and the California education community to determine how best and safely to reopen. That continues to be the case and this May 8 announcement does not move up this timeline, according to the governor’s office.

While the state will be moving from stage one to stage two, counties can choose to continue more restrictive measures in place based on individual local conditions, and the state expects some counties to continue with more robust stay at home orders beyond May 8, GlobeSt.com learns.