Coronavirus Update: Changes At Target, New Store Hours, Dedicated Senior Shopping Hours

Target (TGT) has announced that it is changing its store hours to allow for restocking and cleaning amid the coronavirus pandemic. The retailer will now close all stores by 9 p.m. daily, effective Wednesday.

Stores will continue to be open at regularly scheduled times with locations that normally close before 9 p.m. continuing to adhere to those hours. Target is also closing all of its Target Cafes, Pizza Huts, snack bars, beverage bars, Starbucks seating areas, and condiment stations.

In addition, the company announced that it is will be reserving the first hour of shopping on Wednesdays for “vulnerable guests,” which include seniors and those with underlying health conditions.

“Families are counting on Target for critical supplies during this challenging time, and we’ll continue to do all that we can to keep our stores open,” Brian Cornell, chairman and CEO of Target, said in a statement.

“For weeks, we’ve been responding to the impact of the coronavirus by taking care of our team, rigorously cleaning our stores and helping our guests find the food, medicine and other essentials they need for themselves and their families.

“As our team continues to adapt to the country’s fast-changing needs, we’re announcing plans to reduce our store hours and offer dedicated shopping hours for vulnerable guests. We’ll also maintain limits on select products and would ask guests to purchase only what they need so there’s enough supply to accommodate this increased demand.”

Target is also giving additional support to its employees with more payroll hours for cleaning efforts, which include cleaning checkout lanes and touchscreens at least every 30 minutes.

The company has also waived its absentee policy for employees and is covering up to 14 days of quarantine and illness pay for workers with confirmed cases of COVID-19. It also offers paid family leave and free counseling services.

Target said it is also working to ensure that items such as cleaning products, paper products, food, medications, and baby products are stocked by leveraging its supply chains.

Shares of Target stock were down 5.82% as of 9:49 a.m. EDT on Wednesday.