In Los Angeles, buying fever does not seem to be supplanting the Covid-19 : Many small businesses were allowed to resume business on Friday after seven weeks of confinement, but most kept their doors closed.
Zohrab Mahdessian, a florist in Los Feliz, did not let him miss such a great opportunity. Mother’s Day, one of its biggest days of the year, takes place on Sunday in the USA and orders are pouring in by the dozen, even though he received fewer than usual.
“I’m glad to be back. It’s a good thing that (the resumption) is coming for Mother’s Day, I’ll be able to compensate a bit for the losses I’ve suffered ”, explains this 58-year-old florist, who opened his small shop some 20 years ago.
With the closure imposed by the California authorities on all businesses “Not essential”, he must have thrown away $ 1,500 worth of goods.
From 5 a.m. on Friday, Zohrab was in the queue for the flower market to replenish his stocks: roses, orchids, succulents, sunflowers …
There is turmoil in the market, which is also reopening for the first time since late March. Suppliers shout, buyers shout. They wear masks “But there is no physical distance, it is a little scary”, says the florist.
Simpler on the internet?
Back at his store, Zohrab Mahdessian begins to compose bouquets that his customers can pick up on the sidewalk, without entering the store.
According to the conditions imposed by California for this first phase of reopening, florists, bookstores, music, clothing or sporting goods stores can resume an activity provided that the orders are placed at the door: out of the question for the moment to stroll through the shelves.
Apart from the florists who play big, very few small businesses seemed to have decided to resume a business on Friday in Los Angeles or in the neighboring cities.
Normally, the Santa Monica pedestrian promenade is teeming with tourists and shoppers, but the shops remained desperately closed, often with seven-week-old signs announcing a “Reopening soon”.
“I’m not surprised that it doesn’t open so quickly. It takes time for small stores to prepare “, says Maggy, a local who does not wear a mask but hides behind huge sunglasses.
“And frankly, unless you want something very specific in a particular store, it’s easier and safer to order on the internet and have it delivered”, she adds.“Why bother going out to pick up your order on the sidewalk? “, launches the sixties.
In nearby Venice Beach, a few trendy boutiques were to reopen, even though some of them had taken liberties with the lockers: they had already been offering take-out for several weeks.
As the world’s fifth largest economic power in terms of GDP, California has been hit hard by containment. The pandemic has caused unemployment to explode and will result in hundreds of billions of dollars in losses.
Even with this providential reopening, Zohrab Mahdessian is not sure that he can get over this unprecedented health crisis.
“We will see after this weekend”, he sighs. “If the business continues, I will stay open but if I only have half of my usual turnover, I will have to ask myself the question”.
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