Barbers the No 1 priority

HOMEWARE, DIY stores and hairdressers were the most popular spots for shoppers on the first weekend under level 2.

In Auckland, Westfield St Lukes had an underwhelming opening, with only a handful of customers shopping inside the mall. But dozens of people queued outside Just Cuts store at the mall to get their first haircut since alert level 4.

By mid-morning, queues of Kmart shoppers snaked through the mall. People also gathered outside Kmart’s Petone store. Meanwhile, at Hamilton’s The Base, there were queues outside Mitre 10, Briscoes and The Warehouse.

First Retail Group managing director Chris Wilkinson said Wellington opened a similar way, with people gravitating towards the necessities, as confidence grew around social outings.

‘‘Things are playing out as we expected. Since level 2 started we’ve seen purposeful shopping, people getting the necessities. Getting haircuts, food, buying for their homes and gardens rather than shopping to treat themselves,’’ Wilkinson said.

He said restrictions including contact tracing protocols and social distancing played a big role in how comfortable people felt about shopping and dining.

‘‘There is still a degree of caution around the restrictions in level 2.’’

Some retailers such as Kmart had closed their changing rooms under level 2, while others like Glassons, and Decjuba opened every second stall.

Wilkinson said it would still take some time before people shopped like normal.

Auckland cafe Circus Circus manager Amelia Pia-Prout said restrictions like spaced-out seating had significantly affected business.

The cafe, which was typically busy around lunch and in the evenings, had been the busiest in the mornings, mostly for takeaway coffees, she said.

Yesterday morning was ‘‘dead’’ compared to normal.

‘‘Early morning are the busiest and then it dies down in the afternoon. I was hoping Saturday would be busy, but we had the regulars in, and they just ordered coffees, nothing else,’’ Pia-Prout said.

The cafe had been busier with deliveries through Uber Eats than in-store under level 2.

Paris Mt Eden Bakery manager Navin Kumar said while the bakery had been busy since level 3, under level 2 most of its customers were still ordering online or over the phone rather than dining in.

He said its usual customers in the neighbourhood were keeping the business going.

Although the bakery had opened to a quiet morning, he hoped business would pick up around lunchtime.