Photo courtesy of Colton McKee

By Scott Roblin

Businesses Adapting

Curbside pickup becoming increasingly popular for Medicine Hat businesses

Mar 25, 2020 | 6:07 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Business at Once Upon A Child children’s store in Medicine Hat has slowed to a trickle over the last few weeks.

It’s an odd feeling for owner & operator Shawna Griscowsky, who said many people are weary about going to pick up toys or a book for their kids because of COVID-19.

“We’ve never had such slow days since we opened 10 years ago,” said Griscowsky. “But, it’s to be expected with what’s going on.”

Like many stores across the city, Once Upon A Child has had to adapt to make life easier for both their customers and staff.

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That’s included offering curbside pickup services, aimed at keeping vulnerable populations like expectant mothers and small children from entering the store.

“If there’s a new mom who doesn’t want to come into the store, we are just going to do the shopping for them,” said Griscowsky. “We’ll bring it out to their vehicle, tap their credit or debit card, and we do give the items a wipe down with Lysol wipes and things like that.”

National chains like Staples, Michaels, and PetSmart have all implemented curbside pickup at their Medicine Hat locations.

Griscowsky said they provide a service that brings comfort to many families and they’re willing to adapt to a changing world to keep that option open.

“Lots of people aren’t comfortable coming into a retail setting at this point, which is completely understandable,” said Griscowsky. “We just know that we have a store full of resources for parents who are at home with their children. We have books, toys, puzzles, and that’s what they’re looking for right now. So, we wanted to make a way that could make home life a little bit easier for them.”

Other measures such as limiting the number of customers in store and keeping customers at least six feet apart is helping to stop the potential spread of COVID-19 as well according to Griscowsky.

“We’ve had tons of messages coming in on our Facebook and Instagram pages,” said Griscowsky. “Lots of people looking for very specific things, certain books that their kids like to read. They’ll just send in a message and we go shopping for them.”