Chris Higgins loads the Jacob Maarse Florist delivery van with flowers for Mother's Day Weekend with over 500 orders to deliver after re-opening during the Covid-19 pandemic, on Friday May 8, 2020. (photo by James Carbone)
Hank Maarse the owner of Jacob Maarse Florist looks over his newly arrived inventory of flowers for Mother's Day Weekend with over 500 orders to deliver after re-opening during the Covid-19 pandemic on Friday May 8, 2020. (photo by James Carbone)
Tables are stacked and the doors are closed at Trejo Tacos in the Theater District in Pasadena on Friday May 8, 2020. Some businesses were able to begin to open as others are still closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. (photo by James Carbone)
A sign is posted at Vroman's Bookstore in the Theatre District in Pasadena stating it is closed for customers but open only for curb side pick up on Friday May 8, 2020. (photo by James Carbone)
A customer talks with an employee through the glass door at Vroman's Bookstore in the Theatre District in Pasadena. The store is closed for customers but open for curb side pick up only on Friday May 8, 2020. (photo by James Carbone)
Fit Bar Superfood Cafe Bowls & Smoothies is open for curb side pick up located on Colorado Boulevard in the Theater District in Pasadena Friday May 8, 2020. (photo by James Carbone)
Customers line outside using social distancing at Lee's Sandwiches on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena on Friday May 8, 2020. (photo by James Carbone)
Retail shops are closed and Old Pasadena is empty after some retail businesses are allowed to open during the Covid-19 pandemic in Pasadena on Friday, May 8, 2020. (photo by James Carbone)
Foot Locker is closed and other retail shops are closed along Colorado Boulevard in Old Pasadena as some retail businesses are allowed open during the Covid-19 pandemic in Pasadena on Friday May 8, 2020. (photo by James Carbone)
Retail shops are closed and Old Pasadena is empty after some retail businesses are allowed to open during the Covid-19 pandemic in Pasadena on Friday May 8, 2020. (photo by James Carbone)
The Paseo Colorado is closed after some retail businesses are allowed to open during the Covid-19 pandemic in Pasadena on Friday May 8, 2020. (photo by James Carbone)
Hand sanitizer stations are posted at the Paseo Colorado as it remains closed after some retail businesses are allowed to open during the Covid-19 pandemic in Pasadena on Friday May 8, 2020. (photo by James Carbone)
The Paseo Colorado is closed after some retail businesses are allowed to open during the Covid-19 pandemic in Pasadena on Friday May 8, 2020. (photo by James Carbone)
The long-awaited limited reopening of some shops throughout Pasadena Friday could likely be described as “anti-climatic,” with just a small number of grateful success stories.
In accordance with Governor Gavin Newsom’s Phase 2 recovery plan, only bookstores, music, stores, florists, and sporting goods stores were allowed to open. Though those stores were able to serve customers either with curbside delivery or pickup, Colorado Boulevard Friday remained mostly one long passageway of closed storefronts from Old Pasadena to Hastings Ranch, as most retail outlets remained shuttered.
“Not one store open,” said Pasadena Now photographer James Carbone, after cruising a quiet Colorado Boulevard Friday afternoon. “Nothing. I’m not kidding. Not a single store.”
“There’s one or two people just walking around in amazement of how empty it all is. But there’s not a single store open. Nothing. Zero. Not a single one.”
Pasadena Chamber of Commerce President Paul Little acknowledged the situation, allowing that “pick up” shopping is not the same as browsing.
“It’s a very different kind of an environment,” he said. “There is no browsing through bookstore shelves. There is no trying on clothes. There’s no strolling through the antique shop and picking up the Civil War sabers.”
“You have to know what you want,” Little continued, “or order online or over the phone and come by, and someone will bring it out to you and probably drop it in your trunk or in the backseat of your car without coming anywhere near you.”
Little was reluctant to call the first day reopening successful, saying, “It’s going to be very interesting.”
Although florists were allowed to open, customers can’t wander through the shop and leisurely pick out flowers for a particular arrangement.
“You basically just say, ‘I want the Mother’s Day special number three.’ And then you either go by and pick it up or they’ll drop it on your front porch,” said Little.
Photographer Carbone heard Friday that florist Jacob Maarse, in the Playhouse District, has been busy all week, with owner Hank Maarse telling him that since May 4th, they’ve done 700 deliveries, and expect to do 500 deliveries this weekend.
Vroman’s Bookstore “opened” at 11 a.m. Friday, and was doing some curbside pickup business, but nearby, Canterbury Records remained closed.
Peter Van Gansen, owner of the Run with Us sporting goods store, however, said that things have been relatively encouraging so far.
“It’s been going actually very well,” he said Friday. “We’ve had a lot of people calling in, checking to see if we have inventory.”
Van Gansen also admitted that a number of customers called in, wanting to be fitted, which they’ve been unable to do yet.
“But other than that,” he said, “we’re just filling in orders, whatever shoe they’ve had in the past and we’re just trying to accommodate their shoe and size and, and taking care of them.”
Van Gansen said that the store has benefitted from an increase in running and exercise during the pandemic isolation.
“Everybody’s telling me they’re running more now than they ever did,” he said. “People are out there being more active. They have more time, I guess.”
“They’re following the social distancing rules and they’re covered up and everything like that,” he continued. “But it seems like they’re running more than ever. And they’re going through their shoes and they really want to run, So they’re very excited that we’re open. They’re very excited that we can get them some shoes.”
Online orders have been “pretty good,” for Tony Tatikin, owner of ProSoccer sporting goods shop. Tatikin acknowledged that a number of customers have already been in the habit of ordering online from the shop, but now being able to come in and pick up orders has saved them time and shipping costs.
Tatikin also sees the value in shops like his reopening as a gateway to larger retail outlets opening.
“Obviously we’re not an essential business,” he said, “but I mean, you go to the grocery stores, everybody’s wearing masks, and you know everyone’s shopping and it’s working out. So retail could be the same, easily.”
Little also pointed out that restaurants remain the “canary in the coal mine” with regard to the New Retail Order.
As Little explained, “The consumer confidence piece of this is very complex, and is going to play out over time for certainly the rest of 2020, if not well into 2021 for cleaner, more sanitary, more health-conscious, and social distancing mode of operations, and for all businesses, into the future.”
“And,” Little concluded, “it’s going to impact what they do, how they do it, and how much money they make doing it. That’s also going to be something that we’re going to have to watch evolve over the next six to 18 months.”
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One thought on “In Pasadena, First Day of Phase 2 Business Reopenings Has Little to Show For Itself”
Simply the silliest doings by any government ever and a compliant public going along with it, ever the more silly.