On most any afternoon at most any other time, you'd never expect the parking lots of our local malls and shopping centers to look so empty and desolate.

 

But after weeks of being shut down by the coronavirus pandemic, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is out with his plan to get customers streaming through the doors once again.

 

"In reality, it is very much a common-sense approach to how you deal with a situation that is still a very dangerous situation," DeWine said Monday.

 

That approach includes employees wearing masks and managers doing employee health screenings every day.

 

The Cafaro Company, which owns and operates the Eastwood Mall Complex, is among those anxious to get back to business.

 

But spokesman Joe Bell says that anxiousness is being tempered by caution.

 

"We are not going to rush into this process," said Bell. "We want to make sure we follow the counsel of health officials and cooperate with our government leaders to make sure we do this responsibly."

 

Washington Prime Group, which owns Boardman's Southern Park Mall, also would not commit to that May 12 target date to reopen.

 

The company said late Monday it will release more details about its planned reopening soon.

 

Those reopenings will bring much-needed sales tax revenue to cities and municipalities.

 

"It's going to get people back to work who've been off for some time now and that's just a small injection into the economy, specifically Youngstown," said Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown.

 

A small shot in the arm, but one our communities will gladly take.