By RANDY BARTLEY
Staff writer
For Clarion businesses that were forced to shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, Friday – reopening day – couldn’t have come too soon.
Jim Crooks, owner of F.L. Crooks & Co. clothing store, called it “a relief” to once again open his store, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of uncertainty.
“We don’t know if folks are ready to look for clothing yet,” he said.
Lisa Heller, manager of Dan Smith’s Candies & Gifts, said, “It is awesome to be open for Mother’s Day. We are selling so many chocolate-covered strawberries.
“It is great to see all of the customers again. We have so many card customers that come in every day and just look around. It is great to see people on the street again.”
Roberta Faller, owner of Faller’s Furniture, said she was happy to reopen after the nearly eight-week shutdown of what were deemed as “nonessential” businesses.
“During that time we reset the store, moved it all around, painted a few things and added some new products so it will be a new experience for our customers,” she said.
“Our store is pretty big, and we are able to bring people in one-on-one and keep them safe.”
Crooks said the closure was an “eerie” experience.
Heller said providing curbside pickup for about six weeks “has been difficult.”
Also difficult to deal with during the shutdown was the fact that the businesses had to lay off employees.
“We were able to bring all of our people back,” Faller said.
Crooks said workers at his store were kept on for two weeks at the outset of the closure.
However, he said, “When I realized that I didn’t know how long this was going to last, I had to lay them off.”
The Faller and Crooks families have been in retail for a total of more than 200 years and have a long-term view of the current crisis.
“We are in unchartered territory. This store was open every day of the Depression,” Crooks said.
“My grandfather was here every day, and he pulled teeth for 50 cents each. My father came back from World War II and found the store empty because the whole country was on a war footing. Every generation faces issues.”
Faller said her family’s business has been around for five generations, “and we would like to keep going. It would be great if locals can support us.”
Crooks said no one can predict what the future will hold.
“I have been spending a lot of energy and thought on my fall purchases,” he said. “I don’t want to run out of money, and a lot of my friends have. That is the big thing – what is fall going to look like?”