Shoppers driven out of Huntington Beach Walmart closed for COVID-19 cleaning
The commercial enterprises of shoppers at a Huntington Beach Walmart were suddenly thwarted Wednesday, when managers announced the store was immediately closing to allow a third-party cleaning crew to sanitize the premises.
At around 2 p.m., officials from the store’s corporate headquarters announced the temporary closure of the Huntington Beach location, in addition to two more stores in Downey and Torrance, as part of a “company-initiated program” that would last until Friday at 7 a.m.
“When the store reopens Friday, we will continue conducting associate health screens and temperature checks, and all associates will be provided with facemasks and gloves,” read a statement provided by Arkansas-based Walmart, Inc.
“Everything we’re doing is for the well-being of our associates and customers, and in consideration of guidance by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and health experts,” it continued.
Huntington Beach’s Dylan Jin-Ngo, the founder of the nonprofit Youth Investors Corp., expanded the program to include six area Boys & Girls Clubs.
A security guard posted at the shopping complex was turning away vehicles on Thursday morning, as perplexed customers drove by the storefront to see why the normally bustling lot had become temporarily abandoned.
Among them was Fountain Valley resident Justine Ross, out running errands and in the market for a new trashcan. Turned away in the store’s parking lot, she suspected there might be more behind the cleaning than simple precaution.
“I’m not really buying the ‘we’re cleaning up’ thing — I can’t imagine a retail establishment wouldn’t be able to clean overnight,” Ross said. “I’ve never seen a shop do this before.”
Walmart spokesman Casey Staheli explained a variety of factors go into deciding whether and when to close a location for cleaning, especially during a pandemic.
“We look at stores and all of these factors every morning,” he said. “There are a number of things that do into [such a decision].”
Two other closures were announced on Thursday, at a supercenter in Long Beach and another in the city of Corona. Those stores are anticipated to reopen for business on Saturday at 7 a.m., Staheli confirmed.
The city of Huntington Beach announced it will make the switch in keeping with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mandate to limit in-person gatherings.
Store cleanings are just a small part of the precautions Walmart has undertaken during the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to providing employees with masks and gloves in March, the store began requiring facial coverings for customers in April, Staheli shared by email.
Stores also offer no-contact pickup and delivery and are providing staff with access to flu shots and telehealth appointments, according to a corporate website.
As for Ross, her Walmart plans will have to wait until the next time she’s in the neighborhood.
“I’m going to call it, and next time I’m by, I’ll pick up that trashcan,” she said.
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