Back in business

While Barbadians rushed to Bridgetown on Monday to purchase supplies to prepare for the passage of Tropical Storm Dorian, they returned to the island’s capital this morning to resume their back to school shopping.

When Barbados TODAY visited The City today, several merchants indicated that with school expected to reopen in a matter of days, they were ready to facilitate shoppers seeking to buy their last minute back to school items.

Store Manager at Abeds Swan Street, Hassan Towini said that though the national shutdown for the passage of the tropical storm affected sales, Abed’s management was happy that the island was not significantly affected by the system.

“Yesterday we obeyed Government’s decision to close early because the storm was approaching. And we are trying today to compensate for yesterday. But we thank God that nothing major happened in the island. It is most important the island is safe.

“We lost a business day but we did not lose anybody in the island. We expect to see people today, but the crowd will come tomorrow because today people are still skeptical whether to come to town,” Towini said.

Meanwhile, store coordinator at Cave Shepherd Broad Street, Mark Clarke explained that the Broad Street store was closed for business on Monday because the time for the shut down was moved from noon to 10 a.m.

However, he said since Cave Shepherd opened its doors at 10 this morning, the back to school department has been busy.

“The first set of people in the store were actually in the back to school department where we have 15 per cent off uniforms and accessories. School sales are trending a bit behind last year’s but we know the last two weeks before school opens we are going to see a full influx of people,” Clarke said.

At Woolworth, workers were busy restocking shelves as shoppers walked through the aisles. Manager Erskine Niles said the store was prepared for the “fair amount of customers that will pass through”.

“Bridgetown is Bridgetown so people will still come to shop.Today is a normal work day so people are going to be passing through on their way to work. Right now our workers are just replenishing the shelves so that when people come they will find what they need. But let us say the worse has passed and it is business as usual,” Niles said.

However, one storeowner in Swan Street who requested anonymity told Barbados TODAY he believes that stores should have closed at noon on Monday, instead of 10 a.m. as was announced by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley earlier that day.

“I feel those extra two hours would have allowed some stores to make at least a few more hundred dollars. But yesterday done gone and we can’t make up for yesterday. I am embracing what happening and hoping that today is a better day. I have opened early today and I hope that people pass through and that I make some sales,” the storeowner said.

Shopper Tiffany Welch who was accompanied by her two teenaged daughters said she headed to town early because she knew it would take some time before the crowd came. “I know a lot of people wouldn’t be in town this morning because a lot of people still getting over yesterday. So I told the girls come and let us get this shopping finished so that we don’t get caught up in that rush that coming next week. All I have to do now is collect the uniforms from the seamstress this weekend,” Welch said.
anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb