Several downtown SLO shops are open for in-store shopping. But wait, is that allowed?
Most stores in downtown San Luis Obispo should be closed to in-person shopping, but you wouldn’t know it taking a stroll down Higuera Street.
Several retail businesses in the downtown core appear to be violating coronavirus safety precautions, which for many restrict sales to curbside pickup or delivery and have presented business owners with daunting economic hardships.
Instead, several retailers were allowing customers inside against California’s stay home order, which applies to businesses throughout SLO County.
Some are permitting one customer at a time or a few at a time. One shop, West Coast Silver Company, had its doors open, and its manager said it’s “business as usual.”
Whether they’re unaware of the guidelines, under the impression they’re in compliance or flat-out defiant, more than a handful of stores this week appeared to be in violation.
“Because my inventory is so special, I can’t just say I need a size 12 (swimsuit) in a pink (at the curbside),” said Shelley Filip, owner of SLO Swim at 795 Higuera St., who was allowing customers in by appointment to try on swimsuits. “It just doesn’t work that way with this type of inventory. ... If there’s a penalty for it, I’ll learn.”
Down the street, Anastasia’s Fine Jewelry owner Glenn Grego said he felt justified remaining open for limited in-store shopping as an essential business because people buy and sell precious metals there. That provides them needed income, he said.
“I’m buying precious metals, gold, silver, platinum from people,” Grego said. “That’s so they can eat and pay their bills.”
County officials said this week jewelry businesses are among those restricted from in-store shopping.
Grego said he allows in a limited number of people at a time, and his customers are critical to keeping the shop afloat. He believes the country and region will face the worst crisis since the Great Depression if the economy doesn’t reopen soon.
“Readjusting is very difficult,” Grego said. “Business is down at least 85%. How we’re going to continue to stay in business, I really don’t know.”
Though some stores were open, overall customer traffic appeared to be light, with generally no patrons, a couple, or a few at most, likely because of the public health message that people should be social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“We’re allowing up to five people at a time,” said Kitt Robison, a manager at Moondoggies Beach Club at 873 Monterey St. “We’re making sure people are spacing apart. There’s enough space here to do that fairly easily.”
SLO stores appear to violate state order
While some retailers were allowing in-store shopping, others in downtown SLO have positioned cashier tables and other barriers blocking door entry as they greet and serve customers — in compliance with the directives.
“The state as well as the county — in that we’re falling under the state’s resilience roadmap — is allowing curbside pickup of all manner of retail products, as well as delivery,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, the county’s health officer. “That’s for any manner of retail business.”
The order regarding curbside pickup or delivery applies to retail businesses such as clothing and shoe stores, florists, toy stores, and home decor and furniture outlets deemed non-essential services, according to the state’s website.
Businesses that may be open, as an exception to the rule for essential services, include big-box stores that sell groceries such as Target and Costco and pharmacies like CVS.
“Your book stores, your toy stores, your shoe stores, jewelry stores, at this moment in time, are not allowed to be open for in-store retail,” Borenstein said. “We hope to move quickly in that direction.”
Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease official, warned this week that reopening the nation’s economy too soon could result in the serious consequence of new coronavirus cases and possibly lead to renewed sheltering restrictions, further impacting businesses.
“There is no doubt, even under the best of circumstances, when you pull back on mitigation, you will see some cases appear,” Fauci said, according to the Associated Press.
COVID-19 spread differs from county to county, and SLO County’s confirmed case total stands at 240, as of Friday.
SLO County encourages compliance
Since March 23, the county has received hundreds of complaints on its hotline for reporting non-compliance from members of the public worried about businesses that aren’t in compliance. The city of SLO has a similar hotline.
But as of Friday, neither have issued a citation, according to officials from each jurisdiction. Instead, they have issued warnings and urged voluntary compliance instead.
A penalty could mean a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both.
“The county is enforcing the emergency order consistently throughout the county. However, while some businesses come into compliance with one contact or visit, others (take) two or more visits,” said Matt Janssen, of the county’s code enforcement department, in late April. “Citations will be issued when they have a verified repeat offender that refuses to come into compliance with the order.”
Greg Hermann, SLO’s deputy city manager, said the city continues to receive reports of possible shelter-at-home violations and has “issued several warnings, but no citations to date,” Hermann said.
“This is due primarily to reports that were not a violation, unable to be confirmed or the reported party responded appropriately after being contacted,” Hermann said.
Hermann said all reports are followed up promptly by code enforcement staff or the Police Department.
“Our goal continues to be voluntary compliance, but the city will take enforcement action when necessary,” Hermann said. “We are grateful for the collective efforts of both our community members and local businesses to do their part in slowing the spread of COVID-19 in our community.”
A hotline number for businesses to request information on what operations can be performed is available at 805-783-7835, and a form is available at www.slocity.org.
The downtown scene
Wearing a mask, Erica Hamilton, creative director of Blackwater clothing and accessories, showed how her family’s business is blocking the entrance of their 705 Higuera St. commercial space with a cashier table, while helping customers through curbside pickups, typically through online orders.
While in-person shopping has dropped significantly, online orders are up — especially for plants. Blackwater opened on Mother’s Day for curbside pickup, she said.
“For Mother’s Day, we really wanted to offer people the plants to increase sales in any way we can,” Hamilton said. “It’s kind of survival mode right now.”
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Across the street, at West Coast Silver Co., manager Matt McCrystal said that the store is open for anyone to enter, selling Native American artifacts and jewelry.
“Business is tough for everyone right now,” McCrystal said Wednesday of the shop owned by Grego. “We’re just going about as business as usual as an essential business being able to buy gold and silver. We’re not (just) doing pickup. We’re doing full open (service), and anyone can come in.”
On Thursday, the door was open at the nearby Flip Flop Shop.
Flip Flop’s sign suggested people call in advance for shopping appointments or pickups, limiting one person at a time.
Several blocks away, a SLO barber standing outside his shop Thursday afternoon told The Tribune he was closed for business. Lack of income could force him to shut down, he said, if he’s not able to make rent payments in coming months.
Ten minutes later, he could be seen through the business’ window cutting a man’s hair, with a mask on. A window sign on the shop seemed to contradict the scene, saying in no uncertain terms, “Closed.”
HOW TO REPORT A SHELTER-AT-HOME VIOLATION
Violations of shelter-at-home and social distancing guidelines can be reported to San Luis Obispo County’s hotline at 805-788-2222 or the city of San Luis Obispo’s hotline at 805-783-7835.
Note: This story has been changed to reflect the customer service at Ambiance, where business is open to curbside pickup only.
This story was originally published May 17, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
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