While many businesses are reporting significant losses due to the shut down in November, Davison says that it is difficult for them to judge because they have only been open just over a year and do not have a lot to base it on.
“I do know that the community has been so supportive of us throughout Code Red with curbside pick-up and deliveries,” she said. “I do wonder how good sales would have been had we been open.”
Davison says that they were able to keep all their staff employees but did hire one additional member who would be available to fill in should someone come into contact with COVID-19 and have to isolate.
“We didn’t want to be caught short staffed if something should happen,” she said.
While sales from their giftware were well supported throughout the restrictions, Davison said that there might be things that shoppers were looking for that cannot be found in store. Pharmasave staff searched out for items and brought them in.
“We want to make it easy for people to shop local,” Davison explained. “If we can get it, we will.”
The restrictions were also eased on barbershops and hairstylists.
Chanlie Kozak operates The Powder Room in Souris and is one of those stylists who are now allowed to offer services to clients.
“It’s been a very long time since we’ve been able to offer services to our clients,” remarked Kozak. “It’s been quite a struggle since we were shut down twice since COVID-19 hit.”
In fact, the shut downs occurred for several months from March until May and again when the province went to Code Red. For Chanlie Kozak, it was even worse because she attends the Souris Personal Care home two days a week, and Crescent Manor one day a week. She was prohibited from attending both of those facilities during the entire Code Orange and Code Red.
“It was hard for me as a business, but I felt very sorry for the clients in both of those facilities because they were used to getting a style once a week and then it was nothing for so long,” Kozak remarked. “For many, that weekly visit was something they looked forward to.”
While many small businesses were able to rely on the Bridge grant that gave small businesses $10,000 to assist with COVID-19 losses, The Powder Room did not qualify due to a licensing glitch.
“I’m just happy to be able to get back to work and serve my clients,” she said.
Kozak began taking bookings on Saturday and worked both Saturday, January 23 and Sunday just to be there for her clients.
The limited changes to the public health orders that took effect on January 23 and will last for three weeks include:
Household limits: orders will be expanded to allow increased personal connections to support the well-being of Manitobans by allowing: two designated people (family or friends) to visit a household under a new ‘rule of two’; outdoor visits of up to five people only plus members of a household on an outdoor private property; and funerals to have up to 10 people in addition to the officiant under clear COVID-19 protection protocols.
Retail operations: orders were expanded to eliminate the essential items list, allowing all stores to open for the sale of products provided they maintain physical distancing and occupancy limits of 25 per cent only or a maximum of 250 people, whichever is lower.
Health and personal services: orders were expanded to allow for the operation of basic services that promote physical and mental health for Manitobans. Non-regulated health services to reopen with adequate physical distancing and requirements to collect information for contact tracing purposes; and barber shops and hair stylists to reopen at 25 per cent capacity with adequate physical distancing and requirements to collect information for contact tracing purposes.
by DARCI SEMESCHUK, Recorder Staff