Bradenton retail businesses reopen slowly and softly after shutdown
Bradenton area retail businesses were moving slowly, cautiously, and carefully to reopen Monday, following the partial lifting of stay-at-home orders by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
And for the most part, it seemed that customers were also equally deliberate in taking their first tentative steps back into store aisles.
At DeSoto Square mall, 303 301 Blvd. W., Monica Norman, owner of the El Gaucho restaurant, chatted with her mall neighbor, John Petrovic, owner of Legends in Sports, through the shuttered gates of his business.
“It will be maybe a week or two weeks before I reopen,” said Petrovic, who has been a mall tenant for 20 years, selling sports memorabilia.
Norman, who has sold international food at the mall for 15 years, said she plans to reopen on Tuesday.
“We lost a lot of money. It’s going to take a little while,” Norman said, behind her face mask.
Petrovic sported a beard that he grew while his business was closed. “It’s my beard baffle,” he said.
El Gaucho and Legends in Sports are each operated by their owners with no other staff. A saving grace for Petrovic was his internet sales, which continued during the 45 days that his store was closed.
DeSoto Square anchor JC Penney had not opened Monday, but other stores had their doors open to welcome shoppers, including Gentlemens Choice, DKDA and Gold Palace Fine Jewelry.
“So far, so good,” said a mall representative, likening it to a soft opening.
Ellenton Premium Outlets reopened Monday, but the schedule for reopening individual stores was unknown.
One Outlets tenant said he would probably not open for about a week.
As part of the reopening process, Ellenton Premium Outlets officials announced their COVID-19 exposure control policy, developed in conjunction with a team of experts in the fields of epidemiology and environmental health and safety, in order to deliver an elevated set of safety standards at the property.
Ellenton Premium Outlet’s enhanced safety protocols have been communicated to all tenants, who are expected to adhere to the same rigorous policies in their tenant spaces, the company said in a press release.
“The health, safety and well-being of the community we serve will always be our highest priority, and we have developed a thorough and detailed set of protocols highlighting the exceptional measures we’ve implemented for shoppers, retailers and employees as we reopen,” said Zach Runnels, general manager at Ellenton Premium Outlets.
“We also recognize that individuals and families in our community are suffering significant hardship as a result of both COVID-19 and the economic shutdown, and we believe that reopening our property will not only help people get back to work during these challenging times, but also enable us to use our property to further support charitable initiatives,” Runnels said in the press release.
The Mall at University Town Center, located at the intersection of University Parkway and Interstate 75, plans to reopen on Wednesday.
Hours at the Mall at UTC will be 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday – Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Restaurant and department store hours may vary.
“We are reopening on a reduced daily schedule to help meet the needs of the community,” mall officials said last week, and announced a list of cleaning and disinfecting steps being taken to keep guests and staff safe
Bradenton-based Bealls reopened its stores at 10 a.m. on Monday.
Some customers were lined up at the door, waiting for the store to open, company staff at the Creekwood Crossing store said.
Ashley Lauda, owner of Gypsea Soul, an art studio, interior design business and fashion boutique, at 615 15th St. W., opened Monday.
Lauda said during the government-mandated stay-at-home break, she got her two art studios upstairs ready to open and will start offering classes in June.
Lauda spent much of her time Monday sanitizing and cleaning the business, which originally opened in April of 2019.
Gypsea Soul will be open 1 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.
Erroll Mehmet, “the English cobbler,” at City Hall Shoe Repair Shop, 533 13th St. W., Bradenton, said the past six weeks have been brutal with no work and no money making his cash register ring.
“Unless people start coming in, I won’t be here in a month,” Mehmet said. “It has been very difficult.”
Normally, 15 to 20 customers arrive at City Hall Repair Shop each day, but for more than a month business has dried up, he said.
“I am struggling,” Mehmet said of the business which has been a downtown landmark since 1907.
