By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A MANAGER of a local clothing store said curbside restrictions are “killing” the retail sector.

“I think clothing stores are the worst for curbside. It’s no way we can survive. Rubin’s (has) been around 92 years and it’s killing us,” said Wanda Cartwright. of Rubin’s Palmdale Plaza location.

“They (the customers) cannot buy clothes and stuff without looking to see what we have - they cannot. This does not work.

“We’re only here because our bosses asked to come in and see what happens.”

She reasoned that if people can go to supermarkets en masse, then clothing stores should be able to limit the amount of customers who come into their business in order to operate.

“I don’t know who’s advising him (Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis) but he has a serious problem if he can’t let two people in our shop and the food stores full of people and everywhere else that sells food but they can’t have two at (a time at) our stores.”

“They’re not catching no COVID in clothing stores.

“They let people in the bank. Why can’t they come in here one, two at a time? (At the most there are) three people in here. They are trying to put everybody out of work.”

For Fine Threads managing director Adam Treco, being restricted to only curbside sales is almost like being told to close.

With Monday being a national holiday, Tuesday was the first day for many retailers in New Providence to return curbside sales due to new COVID-19 restrictions.

This restriction was last implemented during the first wave of the disease.

“When we did this in May, sales were down essentially 60-70 percent and when the curbside was attempted again I think after the second lockdown ...it was vaguely similar although not as bad,” he said. “I suspect we’re gonna have a May-like experience this time especially since nobody knows when we’re going to reopen and that puts a lot of uncertainty (out there).

“I mean there’s no real weddings...there’s no real funerals. Restaurants are closed, nobody’s going on a date. So, the real question is what are people buying clothes for unless it’s super mandatory?”

He added it’s a big inconvenience for most people to be asked to do curbside only as customers will have to WhatsApp or call staff first instead of being able to just show up at the store.

“It is difficult because most people like to try on their clothes if it’s not something they’re hyper-familiar with. So I think most guys who are the corporate clients who do buy from us regularly, they’re relatively comfortable because they know how our stuff fits already.

“Clothes aren’t food,“ he added. “Most people don’t know what size suit they wear. They might only know ‘medium.’”

New Providence and Abaco are under new restrictive measures, which were announced last Wednesday. Restrictions now limit retail sales to only allowed by curbside except for food stores. Customers are not permitted to enter stores as relates to all other retail establishments.