Home improvement stores see influx of customers

Home improvement stores see influx of customers

Home improvement stores implement strict social distancing measures in light of heavy influx of customers

STORES LIKELOWES AND HOME DEPOT SAY THEYARE SEEING AN INFLUX OFCUSTOMERS LOOKING TO BUY TOOLSAND OTHER GOODS TOIMPROVE THEIR HOME DURING THISCOVID-19 QUARANTINE.BUT WITH SO MANY PEOPLE IN ONEPLACE ARE SOCIALDISTANCING GUIDELINES STILLBEING FOLLOWED?23ABC'S TORI COOPER JOINS USLIVE TONIGHT -- SHE SPOKE TOTHE HOME IMPROVEMENT STORESUPERVISORSABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING TOPROTECT EMPLOYEES AND"YOU" THE CUSTOMERS.

TORI.YEA, STORE SUPERVISORS I SPOKETO SAY BECAUSE OF THECOVID-19 THEY ARE LIMITING THENUMBER OF PEOPLE THEY ALLOW INTOTHE STORE AT ONE TIME- PLUSSANITIZING MAJORTOUCH POINTS AREAS SEVERAL TIMESA DAY-AND THEY ARE HAVINGTO USE THEIR EMPLOYEES TO REMINDSHOPPERS ABOUT SOCIALDISTANCING."SO PRETTY MUCH I AM USING THISTIMESTAYING AT HOME WITH NOTHINGELSE TO DO UH TO DO THEBACKYARD,"BAKERSFIELD RESIDENT KELLICRESPO SAYS NOW THAT SHESSPENDING ALL OF HER FREE TIME ATHOME SHE'S FINALLYRENOVATING HER WHOLE BACKYARDAND FAMILY POOL AREA."MAKE IT KIND OF MORE OF A HOMEYKIND OF FEELING BACK THERE THANJUST THIS CONCRETE DESERT,"AND KELLY IS NOT THE ONLY PERSONLOOKING TO ENHANCE HERBACKYARD QUARANTINE EXPERIENCEIN LIGHT OF THEPANDEMIC."WE'VE TORN OUT SO MANY PLANTS,WE'VEPLANTED PLANTS."SEVERAL OTHER KERN COUNTYRESIDENTS- LIKE BAILEY BERDERSAY THEY ARE USING THIS TIME TODO HOME IMPROVEMENTPROJECTS THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVETIME FOR BEFORE THE QUARANTINE.AND STORES LIKE HOME DEPOT SAYBECAUSE OF HIGHER VOLUMEOF CUSTOMERS THEY HAVEIMPLEMENTED STRICT SOCIALDISTANCING MEASURES TO HELP STOPTHE POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION OFCOVID-19"THEY'VE LIMITED OUR STORE HOURSWE NOLONGER CLOSE AT 10 WE CLOSE AT 6PM, SO THAT LIMITS SOME CUSTOMERFLOWALSO.

SO WE ONLY HAVE ONEHUNDRED CUSTOMERS GIVE OR TAKEAT A TIME IN THESTORE."HOME DEPOT PRO STORE SUPERVISOR-NIKKI MARTINEZSAYS THEY ARE NOW USING THESETAPE MARKERS ON THE GROUND TOHELP ENFORCE SOCIAL DISTANCINGIN CHECKOUT LINESAND THE LONG LINES OUTSIDEEMPLOYEES ARE NOW REQUIRED TOWEAR THESE BADGES THAT SAYSIX FEET APART ON THEIR APRONSWHILE ON THE JOB."TO REMIND CUSTOMERS ANDASSOCIATES TO MAINTAIN THAT SIXFEET APART,"(PUBLIC HEALTH RECCOMENDS THATRETAIL STORES CLEANHIGH CONTACT AREAS SEVERAL TIMESA DAY AND THAT STORESPRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCINGMEASURES.

IF THEY DON'TPUBLIC HEALTH CAN SHUT THEMDOWN.

LOWES STORE MANAGER-ROBERT GARZA SAYS THEY AREDOING THE SAME THING AS HOMEDEPOT AND THEY ARE ALSOIMPLEMENTING ROUTINESANITIZING MEASURES."ALL CASHIERS ARE SANITIZING ANDDEEPCLEANING THE REGISTER AREABETWEEN EACH CUSTOMER.

WE HAVEEMPLOYEES COMING IN THREE TOFOUR TIMES A DAY CLEANING ALLTOUCH POINTS.BOTH STORES SAY THAT OVER THEWEEKEND IS WHEN THEY ARESEEING THE BIGGEST INFLUX OFPEOPLE BUT HOME DEPOTSHOPPERS I SPOKE TO SAY THAT IFYOU DO HAVE YOUR HOMEDEPOT CARD YOU MAY BE ABLE TOSKIP THE LONG WAIT TIMEOUTSIDE.DUE TO COUNTY BUILDINGS BEINGCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH