Rocky Jesso put installing plexiglass partitions to protect staff and public in grocery stores on the top of his job priorities.
“I am not making a killing at it,” said Jesso as the NL Complete Contracting owner and Scott Davis unloaded the partitions at Colemans grocery store on Newfoundland Drive Friday. He reduced his rate to help with the effort.
Jesso recognized the importance of the protective measure as the COVID-19 crisis changes day by day and stores get onboard — as of Friday Colemans and Sobeys were both clients for the partitions.
Many folks feel once the partitions go up, they won’t come down, changing the landscape of bricks and mortar retail as we know it.
Friday midday, the streets around central and east St. John’s seemed far quieter — like 7 a.m. on a Saturday quiet — the grocery stores less crowded as supermarket companies moved to limit hours and numbers of customers allowed in the store, following the steps already taken of designating special opening times for seniors and other vulnerable people.
What a customer could and could not buy depended on the store — a Telegram visit to three, whlle maintaining social distance, revealed variations in the theme.
Lots of chicken in one store, limits on beef in another.
One supermarket had giant plastic wrap around the bubble gum machines to prevent their use, salads and deli items packaged up. Another brand still had counter service for deep fried food.
As for the spirit of social distancing — people queued up too close at one store, and almost at precise measurement of two metres at another.
A woman in one parking lot asked, “What day is it, Thursday or Friday?”
A common enough befuddlement as people reflect on the week that seemed to stretch forever.
Inside one grocery store, a woman who managed to score a small box of disinfectant spray as it was being unpacked by staff said, “Take what you need. I am not greedy.”
Who knew a little kindness would be defined as sharing the Lysol?
In the porch of the store, a security guard wore a face mask as he stood near the automatic door. Another security guard could be seen inside the parking lot entrance of the adjacent liquor store which, like others attached to grocery stores, had the interior sliding doors between the two retailers locked.
Waiting outside one grocery store, Megan Lucas of St. John’s said she found things she wanted in the frozen section were hard to come by. (Some stores, though, were in much better shape Friday).
She said she and her two children are making do.
“It’s hard. She is inside all the time,” she said of her daughter, who’s turned to favourite show “Pet Paws” and playing with her doll for comfort, while her brother sticks to his Playstation
With two teenagers at home, Lisa Sharpe of Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s has a strategy — spend more time going for walks in the country air and cooking.
“There’s not a day I haven’t cried,” she said while packing groceries into her car and explaining her kids don’t get why they can’t be out with their friends, as it’s drastically different from what they are used to doing.
Another shopper, an elderly man with a cane, said he thinks the government public health emergency rules can backfire.
“You’re going to start a miniature riot. If there’s nothing in the cupboard to feed your kids, you’ll go out and get it either way,” he said.
He also said people should stop buying up all the baby wipes when infants need them.
“Baby wipes, you’d never get them in St. John’s,” he said.
In other retail news:
• Asked by a reporter at the daily COVID-19 briefing Friday if more rules would be coming for what retail stores are allowed to be open, Premier Dwight Ball said, “That’s not where we are today but that doesn’t necessarily mean we will not be there soon.”
• The NLC stores will stop accepting cash and will accept TAP-only forms of debit and credit cards as of today (Saturday) and implement its new online/phone order and pickup service..
Customers may order by calling their preferred NLC liquor store directly or by completing an order online at www.nlliquor.com.
Stores that will not be available for this service are Queen Street Liquor Store, Lake Avenue and Newfoundland Drive satellite stores, St. John’s; Murphy Square satellite store in Corner Brook; Trans-Canada Highway satellite store, Clarenville; Centennial Square satellite store, Mount Pearl.
Orders will begin Saturday and pickups, Sunday, while stores will be operating at reduced hours. Gift cards and AIR MILES are not being accepted at this time either..
The NLC is also installing plexiglass partitions at pick-up lanes. As liquor express stores are under management of private operators, these locations may be open.
• The St. John’s Regional Fire Department is asking people to use proper containers when buying gas.
With the price of gas dropping substantially, the department said it is seeing an increase in substandard containers being used.
Also storing gas should follow the National Fire Code of Canada: gasoline shall not exceed 10 litres in a dwelling unit; shall not exceed 30 litres in a garage attached to a dwelling unit and shall not be stored on exterior balconies.
Mark Wilson, head of Human Resources for Loblaw and Shoppers Drug Mart says “Our supply chain is strong and we’re going to keep it that way. We know people are relying on our stores to be open, stocked and ready to serve."
Loblaws is among the retailers looking to hire people to help restock and help out at Dominion and Shoppers because of the shopping frenzy
"In order to keep things running smoothly, we need a full team in stores and distribution centres," WIlson said. "We also need to be able to give our current team a break. So we’re inviting people to apply and we’ll reach out if we need a hand restocking, supporting customers, or just pitching in. With all that’s going on, we know there are some people out there who are looking for work. We’ve reached out to the retail industry, and to many large employers who have been impacted during this time. We don’t know how much help we’ll need, or where, but if there are people looking to be employed and paid right now, maybe we can help each other out.”
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