Ted Matheson clothier has credited the public's response to public health measures for his store being allowed to re-open (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

Re-open plan

Guarded approval by P.A. businesses to COVID-19 re-open plan

Apr 23, 2020 | 5:01 PM

nowThe middle of next month will feel a little bit like the good old days pre-COVID-19 as stores and some professional services can re-open. And local business owners are guardedly welcoming the news.

In terms of the government’s cautious Re-Open Saskatchewan plan, retailers other than grocery stores, pharmacies and other essential businesses, can once again allow customers onto their premises as of May 19. These will include clothing and jewelry stores, flower shops, book stores and sporting goods stores, among others. Services such as hairdressers, massage therapists and acupuncturists can also resume business.

Sporting/adventure stores

“We feel good about it; it’s been some time coming,” Ron Horn, owner and operator of Fresh Air Experience in the Prince Albert downtown, told paNOW. “There’s a lot of our store that is sitting idle with a lot of inventory tied up and it’s difficult for people to access it.”

Fresh Air Experience has been selling online and offering bicycle repairs and servicing.(Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

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Horn said his store had been fortunate in that it was authorized to be partially open to service bicycles and they were able to handle some online sales, but they’ll be ready to go – with caution – on May 19.

“[We’ll have] limited numbers of people in the store at a time, keep our physical distancing [and] our cleaning protocol has been optimal,” he explained, noting they’ve been attending to customers via a side door throughout the pandemic for drop off of servicing and repairs but no one has been allowed inside. The business takes appointments by phone and has been asking all customers to observe social distancing outside their door.

Clothing retail

Also, on Central Avenue, one of the city’s longest serving businesses is delighted to be able to open their doors in a little more than three weeks from now. Fred Matheson, the owner/operator of Ted Matheson clothier, is crediting the public’s isolation and discipline for matters having reached this stage.

“We’ve all done a very good job and the fact that my store can open up on May 19 …I couldn’t be happier,” he said.

Matheson noted the momentum that had been building about downtown rejuvenation the last year or so has been knocked back by COVID-19 but he remains optimistic.

“We have the long weekend coming, the weather is beautiful, and I think we’re going to be getting back to as normal as normal can be,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it …this is a very good start.”

The government has been clear the phased-in approach through May and beyond to re-open businesses and services will be constantly monitored and adjusted if necessary, with a continued emphasis on social distancing.

Massage therapy

However, not all services that are coming back on stream in mid May can necessarily practice such measures.

“We’re doing a massage, our arms are only so long,” massage therapist Dan Palibroda told paNOW on hearing the plans that will also allow his services to get underway again on May 19. “Social distancing has nothing to do with our profession. We’re up close and personal.”

Palibroda concedes his clients have desperately missed his services and he feels bad he can’t be there for them, but he’s keeping an eye on the provincial COVID-19 picture.

“Personally, I’ll watch things guardedly and if I feel there are new cases popping up I may even delay things by a few weeks.”

In their plan the government states where it is not possible to physically distance, service providers will be required to take precautionary measures such as client screening, wearing gloves and face masks.

Editor’s note: this article was amended to make clear no customers are allowed in the store at present at Fresh Air Experience and people are asked to observe social distancing outside their side door.

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow