Minnesota Retailers Get Ready For Customers As Stay-At-Home Order Expires Next Week
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Thousands of Minnesota retailers are getting ready to open their doors next week, but shopping will look a lot different.
All retail stores, malls, and other businesses have to implement a COVID-19 preparedness plan in order to reopen. It must include social distancing guidelines for workers and customers and stores can be at no more than 50% capacity at any time.
"I am excited but you know like I said it's just nervewracking," Meg Brownson said.
At Alfresco Casual Living in downtown Stillwater, owner Meg Brownson will have her employees wear masks.
They've installed plastic partitions at the pay counter. There will also be some masks and hand sanitizers available for customers, but a mask is not mandatory.
"I have a lot of signage coming later today that will go up around the store and I have a small employee kitchen and that door will be open," explained Brownson. "There will be a sign on there that says hand washing available to the public."
On the west side of town, Bluebird Boutique in Edina will also open Monday but will have the option for customers to shop by appointment for certain hours.
Like Alfresco, they will also continue to do curbside and delivery.
"It's really just about making the customer, our employees comfortable. And whatever they want we're going to do," said Sacha Martin, co-owner of Bluebird Boutique.
But not everyone who can open is choosing to.
Projects in Person in Hopkins is staying closed for public workshops until September but will allow smaller private workshops this summer and will continue DIY take-home projects.
Brownson says she's concerned about a possible 2nd wave in the fall that could force another shutdown.
"I can't even think about what would happen because I don't know how long I could go," Brownson added.
Bluebird Boutique is using Venmo as a no-contact payment option.
Restaurants and gyms can't open until June 1 under the governor's plan.
