Economic Situation Remains Dire As Some Contra Costa Shops Reopen
MARTINEZ (KPIX 5) -- As Contra Costa County entered Phase II Tuesday, easing restrictions and allowing many retail businesses to open for curbside pickup, a number of shops decided to stay shut down.
For many that did reopen, the situation remains dire.
"You know, we've been closed for over two months," said Anne Mobley, owner of the White Rabbit Boutique in downtown Martinez. "No money coming in. Can't pay my employees. They're starving."
Mobley reopened Tuesday morning, but getting the doors open again did not sit atop her list of concerns.
"It's more than that," Mobley explained. "It's about how much disposable income these people are going to have after this."
"Most importantly, we love and miss our customers," said Carolyn Hill, reading from the sign in front of her reopened vintage collectible shop, Retro Now.
Hill is ready to welcome back customers, but she thinks it might take a while for them to show up.
"Happy to have our door open today," Hill said. "We consider this the next step in the reopening process."
Despite the easing restrictions, plenty of businesses remained closed across the county. Even some of those that could be open.
"We cannot afford any employees right now," said John Lafortune, owner of frozen yogurt shop CoCo Swirl in Pleasant Hill. "So just us."
Lafortune and his wife are the remaining employees. They hope to get their shop open on Thursday, but one critical piece will be missing.
"We get zero foot traffic around here," explained Lafortune. He said his plan is to open for just a few days a week. "It doesn't make sense for us to open up any more at this point."
It is the same problem many stores were facing back in Martinez. There's just not enough open to draw enough people, especially with restaurants only open for pickup customers. So while getting the doors open is a start, a lot of business owners say it may not be enough.
"I'm still a realist," Hill said. "To know that maybe it will never be the same again."
"I don't know how this is going to go through from here on out," Mobley worries. "It's very scary. Very scary."
