JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It was not just hair and nail salons, as well as barbershops, that were allowed to reopen in much of Florida on Monday as the state took another step out of the economic abyss caused by the coronavirus shutdown.
Many retailers also opened for the first time in weeks. While retail stores in Florida were allowed to reopen last week, many companies -- such as T.J. Maxx, Bealls Outlet and HomeGoods -- kept their doors closed to customers until Monday.
I went inside the T.J. Maxx on University Boulevard to see what shoppers can expect.
There were no lines to get inside the store. As soon as I walked in, I was given a disinfectant wipe to walk around with, but besides that, it was business as usual.
While the store kept track of how many people were inside, at times, it felt like certain areas of the store were more crowded than others.
My word of advice: If you’re not comfortable being around people right now, consider avoiding a store when it’s the first day it’s back open.
While I noticed most of the customers went without masks, all the employees were wearing one. There were signs on the floor instructing customers where to go, and the dressing rooms were closed.
If you are up for braving the store, you’re more than likely going to get some major discounts. Retailers need to get merchandise out so they can get new shipments in. And while the T.J. Maxx that I went to was stocked, right next door was a different story. I found the Bealls Outlet on University Boulevard was almost empty. I’m not just talking about people, but what was on the shelves.
Now your experience is really going to differ store to store, and to know what specific stores are open, you’re going to need to go straight to that retailer’s website.