March 29, 2020

DEAR CUSTOMERS … ‘WE MISS YOU’ — ‘STAY SAFE’

GRAVENHURST — “We’re closed ….” But “We miss you” … “Be Safe.”

The messages to customers are clear and heartfelt from the business community devastated by COVID-19.

Core retailers here, forced to close, say it in signs posted on their front doors in professional and personal scripts.

It’s their letters to “help keep our community safe.”

They’re mostly simple sheets of white paper — 8×10 — but they say a lot about the people behind the closed doors.

On Bay Street, they’re signed with little salutations of love —“XOXO” from Royal Flush.

And down street next door, at Summit Mortgage, it’s loud and clear in huge red letters “Stay Home” and in matching foot-high yellow letters you can’t miss: “Be Safe.”

At the clock corner, TeaBeards’ love letter reads: “We miss you TeaBs Family. And we hope we can see you again soon … until then keep safe and stay Ahsome.”

It’s signed, Johnny, Nicolas and Alisha Awesome and under another sign that reads “Closed. But still Awesome.”

Across the corner, Minds Alive concludes: “Let’s take this time to play a game, build a puzzle, learn a new craft, read a book or just dance.”

Next door, on Muskoka Road, Muskoka Bear Wear says its stores plan “contests and giveaways” the next couple of weeks, “while we all stay home.”

Around the corner on Brock, Dave Munro, owner of the just weeks old Al Truistic Beer Bread Bakery, a commercial kitchen rental space on Brock Street, he posted: “… be careful, be cautious and mostly be courteous and kind. We’re all under a lot of stress. Kindness can ease that stress.”

He says “it’s our desire to keep our community safe.”

Next door to him, at the original Bakery, the Rebeleins say “Stay diligent, safe and happy.”

Muskoka Bay Clothing is closed “to help flatten the curve and minimize community harm.”

At Knapps Gravenhurst Furniture, this from Greg and Colleen Knapp: “Our wish is everyone stays healthy during this difficult time. Best of luck, we’ll be happy to serve you soon as possible.”

Kim Barnes, the Butcher’s Daughter who just opened in the fall, is only letting in two customers at a time.

Saturday afternoon she was loading an SUV with takeout food, something she says she’s done a little of.

She also said with the slowdown in her business that she was interested to hear Friday’s news from Ottawa that it will top pay 75 per cent of any employees’ salary whose been laid off.

And she’ll see how that goes.

For the rest of the businesses across Muskoka it’s the same story.

Business is definitely slow for essential services who are allowed open.

Civic leaders are encouraging stay-at-homes to order in or have one person shop for them.

But people just aren’t shopping — even if there are still quite a few vehicles on the streets — window shopping if nothing else.

Seeing is believing.

See some messages below and send us any you see to MuskokaTODAY.com.