The reopening of HomeSense in Newmarket this morning was greeted enthusiastically by shoppers, with the lineup estimated to be at 300 people shortly after the doors opened.
Shoppers were "very enthusiastic," said a store employee, noting that there was a two-hour wait to get into the Yonge Street store shortly after it opened at 11 a.m.
One shopper waiting patiently in line this afternoon was Rahy Hayati, owner of Feather Home Staging & Décor, which is considered an essential business because it supports the real estate sector, she said. She has been unable to purchase items for her business in the last two months, she added.
The Winners and HomeSense discount chains announced they were finally opening the doors to most of their Ontario stores today, after reopening stores in other parts of Canada last week.
While a spokesperson of parent company TJX didn't wish to comment on the Newmarket store reopening, a statement by TJX Companies CEO and president Ernie Herrman said, "No matter where people live in the world, we want our associates and customers to feel confident when they come back to work or shop in our stores. In light of the pandemic, we have been highly focused on the changes we are making to operate more safely in the future."
The company is encouraging customers to wear masks and the new in-store experience will include protective shields at cash registers, occupancy limits, physical distancing markers on the floor, and a revised returns policy.
Employees will be following new physical distancing practices and will be provided personal protective equipment, according to Herrman. Enhanced cleaning for high-touch surfaces will be conducted throughout the day and there are new protocols for handling merchandise.
Ontario began its first phase of reopening for the COVID-19 pandemic May 19.
