From national retail chains to individual small stores more and more Israeli outlets are defying coronavirus cabinet instructions and opening up shop both streets stores and in shopping centers. The mutiny stems from a combination of a protest by individual store owners and the pronouncement yesterday by Big Shopping Centers (2004) Ltd. (TASE:BIG) CEO Hay Galis calling on store owners to open in their strip malls in ‘green’ (low infection) location. Rani Zim Shopping Centers joined the call.
Among the chains who have already opened are Beitli (home design and furnishings), Shilav (baby and early childhood toys), Steve Madden (shoes and fashion accessories), Factory 54 (fashion clothing), and Replay (fashion clothing).
Beitli CEO Avi Eitani wrote to Big today, “We are also not getting any special support from the government and we are also fighting against the lack of logic and intimidating measures of the authorities. All Beitli branches have been open for two weeks with all the danger involved.”
Regarding other chains operated by Beitli such as the Urban furniture chain, he added, “We also opened the urban chain and immediately received fines, so we suspended the opening until next week.”
Fitness clubs like Holmes Place are also fighting the government closure order. Lawyers from Yigal Arnon Co. representing Holmes Place wrote today to the Ministry of Health and other ministries threatening legal action and to sue for compensation if a plan for when they can open is not immediately announced.
Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on November 2, 2020
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