As several Grande Prairie businesses reopen their doors to the public as part of phase one of the provincial economic relaunch, some owners are cautiously optimistic about what the future will look like. The six-week brick and mortar store closure forced many to change their business model, and for some, it could mean a new reality as they enter the post lockdown phase.
“Excited, a little bit apprehensive and intrigued to see how it will go for so many businesses,” says Grande Prairie Coffee Co. owner Emily Greenaway.
Greenaway adds she has been open for pick up or delivery services for the past month but admits there were nerves when it came time to open a physical store back up to the public. She says, as long as health measures are followed, it will be a success for all involved.
“Do it right, follow all the measures and do everything that we can do keep things the way they are and moving forward.”
Other businesses in downtown Grande Prairie share her sentiments, but admit they’ve had to get creative to try and make it as covert as possible.
“We have a sanitization program in place every night, where the whole store is fully sanitized through a cleaner we use in our airstream,” says Bama Furniture Owner Jason Sawatzky. “It was a cumbersome thing to find, but we did find some options. We want to make sure that our customers still enjoy the shopping experience so we aren’t overdoing it, but we want people to feel safe in the same sentence.”
Beata Bator of Eternity Fine Jewelry and Heirlooms says she has been counting down the days since the tentative May 14th date was announced by the province but understands others may not share her enthusiasm. She says that is okay too.
“Everything is different, but we are ready for people. If they’re here, we would love to serve them.”
Stage one of the relaunch plan includes the reopening of daycares, hairstyling and barber shops, and some retail businesses like clothing, furniture, and book stores. Other businesses like cafes, restaurants, pubs, and bars will also be allowed to reopen but will be restricted to 50 per cent capacity.