Hilton Head, South Carolina-based ArtWare is a popular shop for visitors and locals alike featuring a variety of fun gifts and art pieces.
“We have the unique ability to give our guests a piece of their happiest memories to take home with them until their return to our coast,” owner Jennifer Megliore explains.
Like many other South Carolina businesses, Megliore was required to close ArtWare on March 27 because of the state orders.
“We were lucky we could still continue to do curbside service and were allowed to deliver to people,” she said of the shutdown. “I was also collecting orders online, which was really a godsend during this whole run.”
Though the two-week closure was not nearly as long as other states, Megliore says the store was “running on vapors.” She kept busy with deliveries and used the extra time she had on her hands to upgrade ArtWare’s website, adding hundreds of product photos and videos. “I had a lot of work I needed to do on that,” she says.
If it weren’t for the financial hardship, Megliore says she would have found the closure peaceful and relaxing. “In your head you are trying to figure out how you are going to pay your bills,” she says, adding “We are all challenged with riding that thin line between ensuring your economic survival and keeping our customers comfortable.”
Megliore didn’t have to wait as long as other areas of the country to reopen her store. South Carolina stores were closed for 15 days and allowed to reopen April 21, while many other states remain on strict stay-at-home orders through mid to late May.
But she knew reopening could not be possible without adopting some new safety precautions to keep customers and staff safe from the spread of the coronavirus. “I think our formula really works well. It is very easy for people to adopt,” she says. She wants to be an example for other stores.
It takes a second or two for customers who enter ArtWare to catch on to the new procedures, but once they do, it is worth it, according to Megliore. Customers are even telling friends and family that they feel safe at the store.
Now that the store is open, giving customers peace of mind is of utmost importance to Megliore. She shares what her store has done as it ramps up to what she calls “our new normal.”
The first thing the store did was place green collection baskets about every 10 feet around the perimeter, and around every display in the store. The idea is for customers to “touch anything they like” but when they’re done, to place everything that they’ve touched into one of the green baskets on the floor so it can be cleaned. “That way, our customers know everything they touch has been cleaned,” she says.
A Welcome Back sign on the door describes the new policy.
The second level of safety is the ArtWare website. It gives the customer the option to have the item mailed locally for just $3 or select local pick-up curbside.
“The ArtWare website has been a life saver. It collects payment and delivery details, while limiting exposure,” she says.
Every package the store packs or ships is sanitized, wrapped in tissue, and labeled with a sanitized sticker. When customers arrive, they call the number on the parking space sign and the purchase is brought out to them. The staff bringing the order out wears a mask, uses a disinfectant wipe and places the item in the vehicle with a 4-foot grabber to keep an effective social distance.
“It gets some surprised smiles, but boy do they appreciate our attention to detail,” Megliore says.
And lastly, the shop has added an attractive table just inside the front door with a Welcome Back sign and a shop bell. The sign slows people down as they take a moment to read about what the store and the customer can do to keep each other safe and healthy. Those who aren’t comfortable venturing inside the store can the ring bell for tableside personal shopping. The table also creates a buffer between staff and the customer to promote social distancing.
While many customers seem laid back about safety precautions, Megliore isn’t taking any chances. “Everyone gets our best. We’re wearing a soft, comfortable tubular face shield, using sanitizing wipes, and perhaps most of all, thanking them for coming and [rooting] for our survival with their dollars. Every customer is told just how much we appreciate them coming to visit.”
Megliore hopes her advice can help other store owners. According to her, the measures are effective, easy and inexpensive to implement.
