How three companies found their first days of freedom in Sydney

Sydney small businesses say the atmosphere in their stores is lively and customers are excited to be returning to in-store shopping since restrictions were eased on Monday.

Bookstores, beauty clinics and fashion retailers are among the companies that can now welcome fully vaccinated customers to their premises in the greater Sydney area.

Sydneysiders spent $ 130 million on Monday alone, according to National Australia Bank. Of that, consumers spent $ 5 million in hair salons, $ 10 million on clothing, and $ 13 million in restaurants and pubs.

SmartCompany spoke to business owners with stores in Potts Point, Liverpool and The Rocks to find out what their first days of trading were like after the lockdown.

The bookstore

Anna Low, owner of Potts Point Bookshop, says it was “amazing to open the doors of her store and let customers come in” on Monday.

“People come with a certain excitement. It’s hard to put into words, but people express how happy they are to be in the store, ”says Low SmartCompany.

Since reopening, Low’s biggest challenge has been checking their customers’ vaccination status.

“The vaccination record isn’t built into the QR code app, so people have to scan their QR code, show you it, and then show you their vaccination record,” she says.

Despite these additional requirements, customers have so far willingly shown their vaccine status in the Potts Point Bookshop.

Only one customer came into the store who wasn’t vaccinated, and Low safely helped them out.

“As a retailer, you can’t assume they won’t get vaccinated because they are anti-Vaxxers.

The beauty clinic

Imaan Joshi, owner of Skin Essentials in Liverpool, resumed personal consultations and skin services such as injections on Monday.

Joshi says customers love to come back and volunteer their vaccination information when booking.

“Everyone is or will be vaccinated when they return, and we have no resistance from those who feel left out,” says Joshi SmartCompany.

The clothing store

Eloise Panetta, owner of the clothing store of the same name in The Rocks, opened her store for the first time since the easing of COVID-19 restrictions on Wednesday morning.

“We had so much preparation to do. We loved doing really nice window dressing and my team helped me put together dried flowers, ”says Panetta SmartCompany.

Eloise Panetta is located on George Street in The Rocks and sells botanically colored clothing.

Panetta expects wet weather to keep customers away on their first day of trading, but hopes sales will rise over the weekend.

“If it was a sunny day, of course, there would be people out and about and the pub outside would thrive,” she says.