People who used to work and eat lunch in town now come here
The suburb of Bearsden is a typical dormer community on the edge of Glasgow.
In normal times most of the weekday customers who visit the rows of shops at Bearsden Cross and on Milngavie Road are retired people and young mums with pre-school children.
But lockdown saw that change, as people who normally spend their working day in the city centre found themselves stuck at home. Initially, children’s shoe shop owner Zoe Mair thought she faced bankruptcy.
She had just bought in 1.400 pairs of shoes for her store, Susie And Sam, when Covid forced her to close in March. She launched an online sales drive, attracting both existing customers and new ones, which got her through the first few months of lockdown.
But since the store has reopened, she has noticed more new customers coming in. She said: “I have many new customers who drop by for their children’s wellingtons or new school shoes. I have every hope that we will thrive.
“Few things are sadder than an empty shop, especially in a local community.”
Two streets away is Susan McMillan’s Grace And Favour tearoom at Bearsden Cross.
Susan said: “People who worked and ate lunch or got a coffee break in town now come here because so many are working from home.
“We closed in lockdown and I was worried about how life would be as it loosened but thankfully, we have never done so much trade.
“Some days are busier than before Covid and we have had to bake more cakes and scones to keep up the demand.
“Customers are living and working locally from home and their town has become their world.
“We also source locally because it’s only fair to help other traders thrive, too.”