BARRIE -- Many business owners are nervous, but cautiously optimistic after the first full weekend since patios, malls, and even some beaches opened for the first time.
If this weekend is any indication, shop owners are prepared to do anything to keep their customers safe.
For many Barrie residents, it was the first chance to get out and be somewhat free since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“It feels good to get out finally I don’t know it feels good to get away from home,” said one Sunday shopper.
At Georgian Mall, some stores remained closed, but many welcomed shoppers with clearly marked instructions to stay safe, including limits on how many people can get in at a time. It turned out to be reassuring to some shoppers.
“Feeling more confident feeling more comfortable,” says Chereylene McChesney. “I really like the precautions that businesses are taking, and I think social distancing has kind of become part of our fabric of how we deal with life now.”
It’s also been a big couple of days for many bars and restaurants that can now offer more than just takeout and delivery.
“We’ve had to learn everything all over again when we reopened on Friday,” says Tobin Browning with Last Shot Bar and Grill in Thornton. “We actually literally had to adjust on the fly because we basically only had two days to get this setup and get the patio going.”
Browning says he’ll brainstorm with his staff this week to see what worked safety-wise this weekend and could be changed moving forward.
