Marinscope
Marin County is getting back to business as usual … sort of. Indoor retail stores and auto dealerships were cleared to open their doors to customers, and housekeeping and janitorial services went back to work as of last week.
Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis cleared the way for some businesses to welcome back customers as of Friday, June 12, as long as they continue to observe the restrictions that we’ve all been living with are in place to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus: facial coverings, maintaining 6 feet between each other, frequent hand washing and wiping down of surfaces, among others.
The popular local institution, Whytes Booksmith, had been offering curbside pickup service, but as of Friday the doors were open to allow limited numbers of bibliophiles into the store. Customers and employees wear face coverings and there is a hand sanitizing station at the door.
“We’re following all the county guidelines,” said Michael Whyte, who is keeping track of business while he is currently “stranded” in Maui.
Whyte has operated the store for the 39 years, but is now considering selling the business if he can find a buyer who would care for it and the community. But he admits leaving the store wouldn’t be easy.
“I love the energy in the store,” Whyte said. “Kids love the store. The kids are fantastic. I’m happy and ecstatic to welcome folks back to the store.”
Retailers, shoppers and county officials are cautiously optimistic as the county moves deeper into Phase 2 of reopenings amid its shelter-in-place order. Willis indicated that as long as Marin does not see a spike in COVID-19 cases during the next two weeks, restaurants might be cleared to open for indoor dining. San Rafael has created a map of restaurants that are currently open for business.
Many restaurants with patio space have already received permission for outdoor dining. But many restaurant owners have found it difficult to operate with just delivery, takeout and patio dining.
Petaluma has already allowed some hair salons and barbershops to reopen. Although it’s virtually impossible to get a shave while wearing a facemask, it can be a relief to finally get a good haircut for the first time in four months. Marin County has yet to follow suit, but if there is no increase in hospitalizations related to COVID-19 cases, salons, gyms and hotels could reopen by June 29. The County of Marin is submitting a variance to the State to allow for more businesses to reopen, provided they follow safety guidelines.
Best practices for retailers:
- Continue to provide curbside pickup options to customers.
- Indoor shopping may occur by appointment and/or on a first-come first-served basis not to exceed 50% of the total retail space maximum allowable occupancy or ability for household groups to maintain six feet of distance indoors, whichever is fewer. Individual businesses may establish lower occupancy limits if desired.
- Businesses may establish customer time limits for occupying the store to ensure traffic flow.
- Ensure customers remain a minimum of six feet from employees during the checkout process by installing partitions, barriers or by other means; or install protective plexiglass screens if keeping a six-foot distance is not possible, except as necessary to accept payment.
- Consider providing dedicated in-store visit hours for people at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
- Assign staff that is always on-site to monitor store capacity. The person assigned must ask customers to queue at six-foot distances at the door if the capacity of the store is reached.
- Customers and employees must sanitize or glove hands before handling any merchandise. Store owners are encouraged to provide hand sanitizer and gloves if possible.
- Disallow sampling and customer access to bulk-bin options.
- Clothing items may not be tried on and dressing rooms will remain closed.
- Apply floor decals in cashier and queuing areas to establish safe waiting distance.
- Establish one-way traffic flow through aisles in cases where customers cannot maintain six feet of distance while passing.
- Create a single entrance and single exit where possible.
- Handle returns based on the latest industry guidance available. Consider extending the deadline for returns or exchanges of items to help customers postpone repeat trips to the business until a safer time or encourage customers to send returns or exchanges by a delivery service in order to reduce unnecessary contact.
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