Business owners ready to reopen
Limited capacity, social distancing part of new era
As Montgomery County moved to the yellow phase of Pennsylvania guidelines for businesses Friday, many businesses throughout the county reinforced practices to operate safely.
The yellow phase will allow for
“in-person operation,” but establishments must follow stringent guidelines set by the governor’s office and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
While numerous nonessential businesses remain closed more than two months after the pandemic began in Montgomery County, some businesses tried some creative ways to keep doing business while adhering to guidelines.
Two Ambler businesses banded together to help each other during these trying times.
Ambler Flower Shop and Xtra Boutique, both on Butler Avenue downtown, joined forces as Montgomery County’s stay-at-home order closed many nonessential businesses.
Gene McGonagle, owner of Ambler Flower Shop and Main Street Vintage, remained open and has an outside “self service” table complete with merchandise from his store, as well as “gift items” from the nearby women’s clothing and accessories boutique owned by Barbara Asman.
In turn, Asman added McGonagle’s business to her website, which allows customers to shop for clothing, flowers and vintage items. For more information, visit www.xtra.boutique.
McGonagle added that his delivery service “to do contactless delivery of her gifts just like our flowers. So we’re trying to partner and help our next door neighbor who’s completely closed.”
When asked what inspired the idea to lend a helping hand, he simply said “because that’s what neighbors do.”
Asman expressed her appreciation for McGonagle’s support.
“So that’s been just a godsend for us as far as being able to get a website up and running almost immediately when this COVID-19 hit us,” Asman said.
She added that other shops, such as the Holistic Apothecary on Ridge Avenue in Ambler, have displayed her merchandise in the store.
“I hope I can return the favor to them someday, too,” Asman said.
“We feel very strongly that we want our customers to stay safe; we want our community to be safe. We want Ambler thriving,” she said. “We want to be as thriving as we possibly can be previously to the whole COVID-19 issue.”
Asman proposed several of her own initiatives including “offering private shopping” appointments and limiting the number of customers in the store on 101 E. Butler Ave.
“Shopping is such a happy, personal thing that … we want it to feel as normal as possible,” she said.
While McGonagle’s business focuses mostly on flower deliveries, he said he’s made some changes to the layout of his downtown borough shop.
McGonagle said his employees are working further apart from each other, and added that customers are able to shop and pay at a “self service stand” outside the store on 107 E. Butler Ave.
“I think we just want folks to feel comfortable to be able to pop in,” McGongale said.
Comfort is also a priority for Your CBD Store on 325 W. Main St. in Lansdale.
Ellie Valera runs the Montgomery County shop that sells different types of CBD products. While the store is closed, Valera said she offers several services to customers including contactless pickup and free delivery.
Valera and her mother, Clara Fernandez, owner of Your CBD Store, are working to implement new protocols at the Lansdale location to prioritize the safety of customers and employees.
In addition to requiring masks for anyone entering the store, Valera said she’d also like to install “plexiglass around the registers” and place socially distant markers on the floor.
“Any ailment that [people] might be feeling that would prompt them to want to come in, I want to keep our community safe,” Valera said.
In neighboring North Wales, Scott Tantino, owner of North Wales Running Company and All Kinds of Fast in Phoenixville, has had to get creative to stay in business as much of his brick and mortar stores’ business comes from in-person service.
Tantino said he’s revamped the online store with “about 80% of products on the website.”
He’s also launched “virtual fittings through Zoom” where prospective customers will fill out a form to give consultants information about their preferences, uses and any past injuries.
“It’s not perfect because we can’t try as many shoes for them, but it’s something,” Tantino said. “A lot of people are more active right now because they have time and they have stress, so we need to accommodate them as best as possible.”
Despite both locations being closed for more than two months, it appears that businesses on 111 N. Main St. in North Wales and 214 Bridge St. in Phoenixville are still relevant.
“When I’m in here doing inventory … people are here at the front door with masks on holding old shoes that want new shoes, and I have to tell them, ‘we want to help you, but we’re not ready yet,’” Tantino said.
After hearing from other running store owners across the country who have reopened their shops, Tantino has picked up some tips and tricks to update his operations.
For starters, Tantino said he plans to have customers shop by appointment. He also reconfigured the shop to allow for socially distant chairs that will be cleaned after each use. He added that employees will plan to disinfect shoes after customers try them on.
“Normally for us it’s really important that everybody’s comfortable that comes through the door, but now we have to be much more aware of that, obviously,” Tantino said.
The COVID-19 pandemic may have rattled the local economy, but establishment owners like Tantino are rooting for the success and revitalization of small businesses throughout the area.
“I just want to wish them all the best of luck, and just know that we’re thinking about them, and are here to support them as well because they’re our neighbors, but they’re also the employers of so many great people,” Tantino said.