Businesses get ready after Safer at Home order issued
Some must shut down for 2 weeks
By 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Overton Square was a ghost town.
A stray jogger ran by. City employees were still working. But no one was shopping, and normally bustling businesses were already closed ahead of the 6 p.m. start time for Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s Safer at Home executive order that shut down all non-essential services for at least two weeks in hopes of slowing the spread of coronavirus.
Governments for Shelby County and its six other municipalities joined Strickland with similar executive orders.
Breakaway Running, which sells sneakers and other running gear, was still open in Overton Square on Tuesday morning.
Bryan Roberson, whose father started the shop in 1981, said business has slowed in the past two weeks but customers are still coming because outdoor activities — assuming everyone avoids close contact — are among the few things still encouraged as the pandemic spreads.
“We’ve had a few last-minute rushes of people with the impending lockdown,” Roberson said. “They’re coming in just so they can get their shoes. A lot of people have a lot of spare time so they’re running more.”
Breakaway Running planned to close the store to customers to obey Strickland’s order, but the store hopes it can still offer curbside pickups and home delivery, two services the company added amid the pandemic to discourage large groups inside the store but still serve customers.
At the same time, the company, which has always relied on in-person interactions that allow employees to study a customer’s gait to help pick the right pair of shoes, is looking to build its online presence in hopes of bringing in income while the stores in Overton Square and Germantown are closed.
That’s a change Roberson said he wants to keep long after the coronavirus threat subsides and customers return.
“I think everyone is looking at this and the changes they are making. If something else happens, we all want to be prepared,” he said. “We’re definitely going to continue with an online store. We may continue with delivery service. I think people really like the fact that they can shop at a local store and get delivery that day from people they know.”
‘Essential’ businesses on Broad Avenue to stay open
Foot traffic was also light on most of
Broad Avenue in Binghampton.
Many of the businesses had already decided to close about a week before Strickland’s order, according to Mary Claire Smith, president of the Historic Board Avenue Arts Alliance, the street’s business owners alliance. Smith’s home decor and lifestyle shop, Falling Into Place, has been closed since March 17 but is still selling online.
By Tuesday afternoon, Clark Butcher’s Victory Bicycle Studio was among the few shops still open.
Butcher said he was given permission to stay open along with grocery stores and pharmacies as an essential business, but he will not allow people to come in just to browse, will offer free pickup and delivery and will limit the number of customers in store to three at a time.
“We’re in an interesting scenario,” Butcher said. “Even the mayor is recommending you get outside. Go run, go ride your bike, just stay six feet apart. We are fortunate that we are in that space. We are fortunate that spring weather is here. There are a couple positives in this crap situation.”
The continued business will keep his five-person team working, he said.
Butcher said he has watched his high-end bike sales taper off, but children’s bikes and adult bikes under $1,000 have been up.
He has also seen people bringing in their bikes for repairs at double the normal rate.
“The demand says we’re essential,” he said. “People want to ride.”
Also essential is Hollywood Feed, pet store. Owner Jean Mcghee said pet owners have been flooding Hollywood Feed store in similar fashion to how residents have been flooding grocery stores.
While customers will still be able to shop in store, Mcghee said the company is encouraging customers to also utilize curbside pick and home delivery options.
‘The bills don’t stop’
As other businesses shut down, Joy Moore, owner of Bead Couture on Broad Avenue, said her shop will shut down too in accordance with Strickland’s order.
Over the past week, she has offered some of the her regular customers her cellphone number so she can schedule occasional pickups and deliveries while the shop is closed.
While she’s away, Moore, who is also a metalsmith said she will keep busy making new jewelry items so she has lots of inventory when she finally reopens. Some of that jewelry and other items will also be available in limited supply online.
Her hope is that the stay-at-home order works to get the public health crisis under control and business can reopen in two weeks.
“I understand why they are doing what they’re doing, because they are trying to stop the spread of it,” Moore said. “It’s hard for small businesses. We still have rent. The phone company still wants their money. MLGW still wants their money. Business insurance still comes due in May.
“The bills don’t stop just because business stops. Hopefully this will be short and as painless as possible.”
Desiree Stennett covers economic development and business at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at desiree.stennett@commercialappeal.com, 901-529-2738 or on Twitter: @desi_stennett.