SAN DIEGO — More businesses are finally open on Friday, but for clothing stores like Act II Boutique in La Mesa, the shopping experience is entirely different.
The "new normal" includes curbside pickup shopping as retailers push their product outside.
“We have been waiting and waiting for the day. It has been a very long and stressful two months,” said DeAnne Ross, co-owner of Act II, a women’s resale clothing shop.
Ross said opening up doesn’t instantly make things easier as retailers navigate new rules.
“It’s already hard enough to own your own business. Now things are just harder, especially with the unemployment rate being so high. Those are my customers,” said Ross, who has been in business for 38 years.
Customers are now shopping while wearing a face covering and gloves, standing on the sidewalk.
“People are very scared, and we try to be careful here at Act II, and we’re cleaning and sanitizing all the time," said Ross.
Retail stores reopening with guidelines are part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s phase two, which includes toy, clothing, sporting goods, jewelry stores, floral shops and bookstores, now open with restrictions.
“People can’t try things on, so that makes it more challenging, so I can’t wait for the next phase soon,” Ross said.
Small businesses feel unfairly singled out as big box retailers like Walmart and Costco were never forced closed and have crowds of people inside.
“[It's] frustrating because I have more control in a small environment. I know exactly what’s going on. I know exactly what has been touched. It is not a huge store where there are a lot of different people,” Ross said.
It’s “No Mask, No Service” at Barking Beauties Pet Salon in La Mesa, where owner Vivian Walker said her business does “everything from just a basic nail trim to pet hair dying.”
In operation for five years, Walker said closing business was “emotionally draining due to the fact it was out of my control. I had to cancel March appointments and all of April, and that was pretty hard to have to tell all my clients 'listen, you know we won’t be open.'”
Walker said Barking Beauties was closed since March 19, and she continued to pay her employees.
“She’s a rock star for that, and I won’t let anybody touch my yorkie but her,” said customer Tina Delozier with her dog, Diego.
With business open, Diego finally got a hair cut and nail trim or “pawdicure.”
“He was mess before. You had to see all his hair, but I would’ve waited to get him groomed here,” Delozier said.
The small businesses are grateful to be open in time for Mother’s Day, but aren’t overjoyed at the socially-distant rules that the pandemic is painting for them.
Store owners said it’s too early to tell if curbside pickup will help sales.