Local retail stores planning ahead for reopening

The coronavirus pandemic has turned the once-bustling streets of Old Town into somewhat of a ghost town.

Small retail owners say they're just waiting for that green light for when it's safe to reopen.

BUSINESSES HERE ARE GETTING AHEAD START -- PUTTING PLANS INTOPLACE TO WELCOMEBACK CUSTOMERS.FOX 47'S CHRISTIANA FORD TALKEDTO SOME LOCAL RETAILERS."THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HASTURNED THE ONCE BUSTLING STREETSOF OLD TOWN INTO SOMEWHAT OF AGHOST TOWN.

SMALL RETAIL OWNERSI TALKED TO TODAY TELL METHEY'RE JUST WAITING FOR THATGREEN LIGHT FOR WHEN IT'S SAFETO REOPEN.""I'M NOT A BIG SHOPER BUT I MISSSHOPPING"THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMICSHUTTERING RETAIL STORES ,FORCING OWNERS LIKE LYNN ROSS TOSAY GOODBYE TO IN PERSONEXPERIENCE AND HELLO TO CURBSIDESHOPPING."WE'VE WORKED HARD TO GETPICTURES UPLOADED AND MAKE SUREINVENTORY IS ACCURATE AND ALL OFTHAT GOOD STUFF""IT HAPPENED SO FAST I JUSTROLLED WITH IT.

I JUST WAS LIKETHIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, WEHAVE TO DOTHIS TO SURVIVE"NOT KNOWING WHAT THE FUTURE FORREOPENING LOOKS LIKE OR WHAT NEWGUIDLENESS THEY'LL HAVETO FOLLOW."WE'RE GOING TO BE CAUTIUS ABOUTHOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THE STOREAND THINGS ARE GOING TOBE DIFFERENT FOR A LONG TIME"MICHIGAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATIONARE SENDING OUT BEST PRACTICESAND SUGGESTIONS UNTIL THEYGET CLEAR GUILDLINES FROM THESTATE."WHAT WE'VE BEEN ADVISING OURRETAILERS TO DO IS GET READY FORREOPENING BECAUSE YOU MAY NOTGET MUCH OF A HEADS UP SO YOUMIGHT AS WELL START GETTINGREADY NOW BY SETTING UP HANDSANTITIZING STATIONS IN YOURSTORES, REACESSING YOUR HOURS INCASE YOU DO NEED MORE TIME TOCLEAN.

FIGURING OUT WAYS THATYOU CAN HEALTH SCREEN YOUREMPLOYEES, GETTNG UP THEAPPROPIATE SINAGE"HOPING THE MASSIVE CROWDS ANDLACK OF SOCIAL DISTANCING SEENIN OTHER STATES DOESN'THAPPEN HERE."I THINK AS STORES REOPEN, WE'LLSEE THAT.

WE'LL SEE STORES THATMAYBE AREN'T ENFORCEING POLICYOR SHOPPERS THAT JUST ARE NOTOPPERATING WITH SAFETY IN MINDAND WE'RE ADVISING STORES INMICHIGAN TO BE PREPARED TO SETPOLICIES AND THEN BE FIRM WITHTHOSE POLICIES BUT KNOWING THATIT STILL REALLY PUTS THERETAILER IN AN AWKWARD POSITIONTOAVE TO ENFORCE SOME OF THESEWHEN CUSTOMERS GET BELIGERANT.""SHOPPERS NEED TO TAKERESPONSIBILITY FOR HOWTHEY BEHAVE IN A STORE"POLKA DOTS BOTIQUE OWNERJENNIFER HINZEE PLANS ON TAKINGIT SLOWLY."I THINK I'LL OPEN BUT IT'LL BEON A MINIMAL BASIS WITH A PLANIN PLACE TO HAVE ONLY A COUPLEPEOPLE OR EVEN ONE TO TWO PEOPLEIN THE STORE AT A TIME"HINZEE FEELS SMALL SHOPS LIKEBOTIQUES CAN SOCIAL DISTANCE ANDCLEAN IN A WAY BIG STORES CAN'T."I THINK WITH A SMALL STORE LIKEMINE WE KNOW WHAT PEOPLE ARETOUCHING AND WHAT NEEDS TO BECLEANED AND WE PAY ATTENTION TOTHINGS LIKE THAT."CHRISTIANA FORD, FOX 47THE STAY-HOME STAY SAFE ORDER...IS SET TO END ON MAY 28TH.ONCE BUSINESSES DO REOPEN...EXPERTS SUGGEST SETTING UP"NO-TOUCH" PAYMENT...AND SEPARATION AT CASHREGISTERS... TO ENCOURAGE SOCIALDISTANCING.