Retailers closing, and some are paying staff...perfume factories to make hand sanitizer...

Runcarla

I hope there is truth in this report, and will make a note of which fashion retailers are providing for their front line staff. Urban Outfitters was one of the first to come through with $ support for retail staff.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/1.....break.html

4 years ago

General

27 replies

Latest reply was from cindysmith

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for this Carla.

4 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Such a difficult time for so many. Good to have this info, Carla. Thank you.

4 years ago

Gretchen

Veteran

So glad to see this. I do wonder about the March 27th date that many have set for the end of the closures. Was that based on earlier projections?

4 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Good on UO. They move to the top of my list then.

4 years ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Add OSKA, where I work, and Nordstrom, as of today, for the rest of the month.

We will see what happens at the end of this month.

4 years ago

Runcarla

Veteran

...and LVMH is converting perfume factories to making hand sanitizer.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/r.....ories-to-m

4 years ago

Gail

Veteran

Good news. There is a distillery here in PA that is converting its operations to make hand sanitizer !

4 years ago

RobinF

Veteran

Good to know! My husband and one son are in retail and another son in the restaurant business - uncertain times right now.

4 years ago

Preppy Pear

Veteran

A friend of mine who works at Madewell says the company is paying them for lost hours on their reduced schedules - I am thinking this means J.Crew is doing it, too.

4 years ago

Inge

(website)

Moderator

Thanks for linking to these, Carla. There are more stores closing than I knew of, good!

4 years ago

nemosmom

Veteran

Thanks for the news, Carla! Great to see some retailers stepping up to help their employees!

4 years ago

celia

Veteran

I am happy that this is happening. We will all benefit from it.

4 years ago

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I hope this continues when the closures extend beyond two weeks. It's going to get harder.

4 years ago

slim cat

Veteran

Bloomingdales is promising a pay for 2 weeks at least for full time workers ( with med ins continuing ). Hope for the best.

4 years ago

always trying

Veteran

Our local mall closed yesterday. They are saying 2 weeks, but info I am getting it is more like months.

4 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Nordstrom has closed for two weeks or longer, effective today. They are also continuing to pay employees.

4 years ago

Style Fan

Veteran

I was wondering what would happen to retail employees. Thanks for posting this Carla.

4 years ago

hereforthecake

Active Member

It's great that these larger business are closing, but I manage a small store, owned by a married couple. Literally a "mom & pop" operation. We have 10 employees.

We are hoping that we will be forced by public health to close, because until then, our hourly employees are not eligible for Employment Insurance benefits. (Unless they are directly exposed to/have Covid19).

I'm not an owner, but I KNOW that they cannot afford to pay people when the store is closed. I can't even imagine how they will pay the rent on the space, as we're in a major city (Toronto) where real estate is very expensive.

4 years ago

Irina

Veteran

Just today - COS, Club Monaco and the Hudson Bay are closing stores in Canada.
i went today to the mall! I ordered BR sweaters 10 days ago when the situation was not that dire. I ordered in two sizes and received the parcel yesterday. I figured I have to return while I can. I went to my closest mall, which is also the best known, probably - the Eaton’s. The mall is in 15 minutes walking distance from my home. I was in and out of BR and the mall in 10 minutes, applying the hand sanitizers twice and not touching anything.
Eerie, only a few passers by, some stores were closed and the opened ones didn’t have customers from what I could see. I haven’t seen anything like that ever.

4 years ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Jenn, exactly.

4 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I can’t imagine how smaller retailers will survive this for months. And I do believe this will be months. The effects may be devastating on employees and employers alike. And a check for $1000 will be little help.

I drove past the mall yesterday to stop at Trader Joe’s on my way home from my walkabout with my camera, and the mall parking lot looked like it does on Christmas Day, not 5pm on a regular Tuesday. Sobering.

4 years ago

Runcarla

Veteran

I wonder about online shopping. If the item ships from abroad or needs to cross a border? I don’t think my jeans are going to get priority...

4 years ago

Marilyn

Veteran

Add Simons to the list of store closures.

I sent back Banana Republic returns by UPS. Didn't get close to anyone or touch anything....just dropped them on the counter, waved to the guy, and got out. Kept my gloves on the whole time.

4 years ago

elpgal

Veteran

Ann Taylor told me they are extending returns period but the CSA did not have any further info.

4 years ago

Anonymous

Glad for the shops that are continuing to pay their staff, but feel so bad for the people that are losing paychecks. I worry it will quickly become another recession

4 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Suntiger, I think that’s inevitable.

4 years ago

cindysmith

Veteran

I just found out that my company has set up a plan to help any employees who catch this crap. Which is good to know, since we are an essential business and they are grinding us into dust with the workload, and we are at high risk of exposure because of the panic shopping people are doing.

4 years ago

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