Mall hours extended after blizzard

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The blizzard on Wednesday closed down many businesses including all Simon properties in the Indianapolis area. Starting on Thursday it was shopping as usual for many Hoosiers wanting to cash in their Christmas gift cards.

The parking lot at Castleton Square Mall was packed Thursday afternoon, with few available parking spaces.

Some shoppers had hoped the mall would have stayed open during the blizzard.

“I got to get my stuff and weather doesn’t affect it,” says Josh Penley, who was planning on going to the mall on Wednesday.

Simon Mall properties are making the shopping frenzy easier by extending mall hours Friday and Saturday. See modified mall hours below. Mall officials say they didn’t want to close the mall on Wednesday but they had no choice because of the weather conditions.

“The safety of our shoppers and employers are a priority and we made a decision to close early,” explains Simon Mall Manager John Campbell.

National numbers show overall retailers have taken a hit this holiday season. According to analysts who track holiday spending, predictions were estimated at around 4 percent higher than last year. Instead, spending grew less than 1 percent — the weakest growth since 2008.
The Indianapolis market could take an even greater hit since the blizzard interfered, but Campbell says their main concern is safety.

“The mall opened at 7, we made the decision to close at 8:30 with the weather conditions getting bad again. We wanted to make sure everyone got home safely and were not on the roads driving,” says Campbell.

While some shoppers wished their holiday tradition could have lived on, other holiday shoppers say it wasn't worth the risk.

“The deals are going to be here whether it's the second day after Christmas or the sixth day after Christmas. They're just trying to get rid of everything,” says Allison Dwyer, who was doing all her shopping on Thursday.

Mall hours:

Castleton Square
Friday  9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday  8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Circle Centre
Friday  10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

College Mall
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.              

Greenwood Park Mall
Friday  9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Hamilton Town Center
Friday and Saturday  8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Muncie Mall
Friday  and Saturday  9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

The Fashion Mall at Keystone
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Washington Square
Friday and Saturday  9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.