Fuchsia Dragon | [email protected]
鈥榊ou have to look at the positives鈥�
Since COVID-19 closed non-essential businesses鈥� doors, retailers have had to get creative to keep in touch with their customers.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely not business as usual,鈥� laughed Kim Winand, manager of Highground.
Behind her closed store door, Winand is still operating the clothes and gift store.
鈥淓ven though we鈥檙e not considered an essential service, people still need things,鈥� she said.
鈥淭here are still birthdays, Mother鈥檚 Day, Easter. Summer is coming and people need sandals and sunglasses. We are still a service.
鈥淒uring these times it can be a lonely and sad time and we all know retail therapy - people like to buy things to cheer themselves up.鈥�
Keeping the business running means money is still trickling in and workers are still on the payroll.
Winand spends a lot of her working day promoting Highground online. She shares pictures of new and discounted stock on social media, offers video tours of the store and sends photos of items to customers who have requests.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot more personal now,鈥� said Winand, 鈥淓ven though you know a lot of the people because they come into the store, it feels a lot more personal. It鈥檚 definitely a different way to shop.鈥�
Orders can be collected from the store鈥檚 doorstep or hand delivered by Winand - and she takes every precaution to keep potential spread at a minimum.
鈥淓ven though I鈥檓 in the store on my own, I always use hand sanitizer and use gloves when I鈥檓 picking things up and wiping down all the boxes,鈥� said Winand.
鈥淚 let people know that for their own comfort. I am trying to do as much as I can.鈥�
And Winand is not the only retailer trying to make the best of the COVID-19 closure orders. Many small business owners in Jasper have banded together to support and promote each other to the community.
鈥淚t has been really nice having everyone really come together,鈥� said Winand.
鈥淲e pulled together to help share resources on different things, talking about shipping things and businesses resources from the government and helping with workers.
鈥淭here are a lot of owners where before you just knew them in the street and we have now gotten to know each other because of this negative thing. You have to look at the positives that come out of this.鈥�
鈥楾aking it day by day鈥�
Her shop door may be closed, but Colleen Chalifoux is still bringing fresh flowers into Jasperites鈥� homes.
It has been a busy few weeks for the Elysion Florals owner, shifting her business online, hosting virtual workshops and delivering bunches of flowers around town.
鈥淔lowers make people happy,鈥� she said. 鈥淧eople like planting something they can look after and watch grow, they are planting seeds so they can grow their own food.鈥�
When she first closed her door March 23, Chalifoux sold her perishable flowers and ordered more to see what happened.
鈥淭his is the time to get creative and figure it out,鈥� she said.
鈥淚n the beginning people were super supportive because I had just closed and they were helping me move things along.
鈥淲hat do you get people when you can鈥檛 travel and see them? You send flowers, start a herb garden, but now what鈥檚 going to happen? Is it going to drop off or keep going?鈥�
In a usual year, Chalifoux supplies flowers for 50 to 70 weddings in Jasper from May to October. Now everything is on standby or postponed because of the pandemic.
鈥淚鈥檓 likely to go out of business,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard enough regularly, never mind when this is happening.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just a matter of time before rent accumulates so much you can鈥檛. I don鈥檛 blame the landlords, it鈥檚 not fair on anyone, but there has to be a compromise.鈥�
But for now, Chalifoux said she is taking it day by day.
鈥淧eople are buying things, remaining hopeful and looking towards the future,鈥� she said.
鈥淢y experience with customers has been very positive, very encouraging and optimistic.鈥�
For a list of stores operating behind closed doors go to .
