Bay City home decor store opening Friday to sell plants and other items
BAY CITY, MI — The owner of a Bay City store specializing in home decor, furniture and vintage items plans to open the business' doors on Friday, May 15.
Keeping Character owner Sarah Walraven-Castle said she's opening to sell fruit and vegetable plants and seeds. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on April 24 issued an executive order allowing nurseries and "garden centers" to open, subject to strict social distancing. The order also allowed retailers that do not sell necessary supplies to reopen for curbside pick-up and for delivery.
The Bay City store, located at 906 N. Water St., is scheduled to open from noon to 8 p.m. Friday. Customers can do curbside shopping or enter the store.
"I ask them not to touch anything that's not essential, and if they do want something that is not essential then they have to ask me, and I'll get it because I have gloves on and then I can check them out with that," said Walraven-Castle.
Plans for opening the store has prompted communication from the Bay County Health Department, she said.
"He advised me not to," Walraven-Castle said of an email she received from the health department.
Walraven-Castle asked her attorney what he thought of the email and he encouraged her to open, she said.
"I need some income coming in," Walraven-Castle said. "It's just crazy. I'm trying to do basically two mortgages while having a store."
The business owner said she plans to have floor markers in the store to keep customers six feet apart and only allow six to eight customers in the store at a time. She is also requiring shoppers to have masks on and will provide masks for those who don't have one, Walraven-Castle said.
The home decor store, approaching its one-year anniversary in June, has been closed since the beginning of March like many other businesses deemed nonessential under Gov. Whitmer's orders.
Walraven-Castle said she doesn't qualify for unemployment and she hasn't been able to secure any loans to help her business stay afloat.
Owosso barber Karl Manke opened his business about a week ago stressing some of the same concerns about money. Since the opening, the barber has garnered lots of support from the community, but also got his license suspended by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
In preparation for the opening day, Walraven-Castle has cleaned over 3,000 items inside her store for customers to possibly peruse and purchase. The business owner said it's important to allow for people to shop for items like the ones she sells because it can bring people joy in a depressing time.
Walraven-Castle said she was worried "a little bit" about what could happen due to her opening the store prematurely.
"I'm nervous about being fined," Walraven-Castle said.
Comment from the Bay County Health Department about the store opening was not immediately available.
The governor's stay-at-home order is in effect until May 28.
Related news:
State agency suspends license of Owosso barber who defied coronavirus order closing non-essential businesses
Whitmer extends Michigan stay-at-home order until May 28, manufacturing reopens Monday
Bay City has vacant downtown storefronts, leaders see 'need to fill that space'
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