A downtown Prince George bookstore is hoping to help customers do their part in keeping everyone safe during the pandemic.
Books and Company are giving those who wear a mask properly for the duration of their visit in its store a five per cent discount on regular priced items. Magazines, newspapers, bargain books and the occasional 'weird book' aren't included.
The company has been using numerous COVID-19 safety measures since restrictions were put in place by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
Bookstore Manager Kayli VanderMeer says at the start, the store went from being open 84 hours per week down to just 20 from April to July.
"We had to lay off almost all of our team; that was an awful day," she said.
"Now that we’re open 30 hours a week, we’ve been lucky enough to slowly bring everyone back in some capacity, but our days are nowhere near what they used to be."
The doors were locked and customers needed to call to be let in.
Everyone had to wash their hands with soap and water before they were allowed to go about the shop and maintain social distancing whenever possible.
Now, they still have social distancing at the tills, constant disinfecting and sanitization stations at each door. VanderMeer says the mask discount felt like a logical next step.
"In all honesty, it was our staff that helped us to come up with the idea," she said.
"Keeping our team safe and as comfortable as possible is our highest priority, so when we sat down as a team to discuss what opening the doors would look like, one of the first topics was how to encourage customers to wear masks. A discount was the first thought and we’re fortunate enough to have a boss that was on board."
The feedback has been positive with numerous customers thanking them along with immuno-compromised customers who have said caution is the one thing that lets them be in stores comfortably.
"Comments like that make enforcing these policies worthwhile," VanderMeer said. "In spite of the few folks that make it difficult."
"The mask discount has only added to that with. Most people are happily surprised and thank us for acknowledging their efforts. Even with all the insanity going on right now, masks are still a bit of an oddity when you go out to shop. When I go out shopping, I can see the relief in the face of front line workers when a customer is pleasant and co-operates with the safety protocols."
She says close to 80 or 90 per cent of their customers have been great when it comes to COVID policies and other safety requirements but a small amount in the range of 10 to 20 per cent haven't been as understanding.
"Most folks jump back with an apology when we ask them to step back to the red sticker on the floor, to which we almost always respond with a laugh and an assurance that we’re all learning the new rules of interaction together," VanderMeer explained. I" ike to call it a dance; I step forward, you step back, you step forward, I step back. Our daily step counts have gone through the roof!"
"All that being said, the 10 to 20 per cent of customers that do not respond well to our policies really do make the days tougher," she explained. "The amount of eye rolls, smirks, snide comments, refusals to co-operate, outright disrespect, and even threats that our team has had to endure has been mind-blowing. The constant anxiety, frustration, and even anger that our team is experiencing is exhausting. Starting your work day knowing that you’ll likely have to fight one or two people to respect the boundaries you’re trying to maintain for everyone’s safety is exhausting. Not knowing who will be the one to fight you on it makes every interaction a potential conflict. It’s tough to work in retail during a pandemic!"
While store hours suffered, as with many businesses, the company did find a silver lining in the storm. They've seen the true meaning of community support for local businesses.
"There have been so many good things that we’ve learned and been able to put into practice, but COVID has created this cloud of looming anxiety and dread," VanderMeer said.
"We do our best to maintain optimism and we are so grateful to the customers who make that easier."
