A few retail stores in Vancouver are getting ready to open their doors as B.C. slowly reopens under the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Aritzia reopened its Park Royal location in West Vancouver on Thursday. Its Robson Street location will open on Friday, and sister store TNA South Granville will open Saturday.
The company said in a news release that it has implemented many changes to make sure in-person shopping is safe for both employees and customers.
These include fewer customers within the store, spacing out people in line, hand sanitizer stations at the front of the store, fitting rooms and back rooms, making masks, gloves and other gear available, enforced physical distancing, and increased cleaning.
Customers will also not been allowed to sit in the store and there will be a limit on people in fitting rooms.
Similar measures will also be in place at all Hudson’s Bay stores as they reopen across the province on Tuesday.
Stores will operate with reduced hours, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily, to allow for thorough cleaning, and will open an hour early on Tuesdays for front-line workers, seniors and people with disabilities.
Holt Renfrew in Vancouver will also be opening May 19.
In addition to the measures above, Holt Renfrew said it will also not accept cash and that all associates will wear disposable gloves and masks. Customers can request that protective gear if desired.
The second phase of the province’s restart plan begins on Tuesday, and though retail stores were never ordered to close, many business owners chose to do so.