Businesses emerge from shadow of lockdown, get ready for revival

Coimbatore: More than 45 days after the lockdown was imposed to contain the second Covid-19 wave, Coimbatore took the first step towards normalcy on Monday when most of the shops, service centres, salons and parks reopened.
The state government has granted permission to reopen all kinds of shops, including stationary, footwear, electrical, electronic, hardware, salons, workshops and all kinds of industries. Shops are allowed to function from 9am to 7pm. Permission has been granted to operate export and auxiliary units with 100% workforce and other industries with 33%.
Shops welcomed customers after checking temperature and making sure they used hand sanitizer.
Dinesh, a gift shop owner, said business was dull on the first day. “It would take a few months for business to pick up. Students are our main customers. With schools and colleges shut, sales fell by half,” he told TOI.
Paul, who sells vessels, said the business would flourish during the marriage seasons as people would buy in bulk. “Even though many marriages took place during the lockdown period, we could not sell any item. It would take at least six months for normal business to return.”
“Some of my customers are from rural areas. They could not visit the shop due to lack of public transportation. Many of them still don’t know that shops are open and they keep calling us,” Paul added.
A stationary shop owner, who was doing good business, credited it to pent-up demand. “I don’t know when I will get the usual business. As school and college students are migrating to online classes, the business is dull and we are struggling to survive,” he added.
V Anand, a Keeranatham-based hairdresser, said he attended close to 10 customers on the first day. “As salons opened after two months, walk-ins were a bit high. We have made arrangements to accommodate only three people at a time and are sanitizing all equipment, and using single-use towels.”