Local businesses adjust to the pandemic

In March, everyone’s lives transformed in an unexpected way after the state sent out stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19. Almost every non-essential store closed down immediately, people had to stay indoors, and many were not able to attend work, as contact with other people had to be as limited as possible for the safety of everyone. Among all these changes, local businesses struggled to survive and cater to the needs of those who rely on them, including owners themselves. 

Many businesses continued to run their stores with proper precautionary measures, while many others had to remain closed. The popular family-run business Health Unlimited, situated in the Castro Village, claimed to be doing well in terms of sales. 

“Our business has increased, people are buying more groceries and trying to stay healthy, so it has a positive effect on our business,” said general manager Ethan Falls. 

Health Unlimited has been accommodating to more mail and curbside pickup orders to restrict contact between people. In order to protect customers and employees, they have also started taking more safety precautions. 

“We are wearing masks, gloves, and wiping surfaces more often than in the past.  All of our employees are also required to conduct frequent temperature checks,” said Falls. 

Many employees have been laid off, forced to quit jobs for safety reasons, or alter their schedules to adapt to the current situation. 

“Before shelter-in-place, I was only working for ten hours a week. When quarantine began, I started working 28 hours a week which was a tremendous change for me. I benefited financially from this situation, but unfortunately many people around the world did not experience the same,” claimed Corina Iredale, employee at Health Unlimited. 

The Floatery, a new local business on Castro Valley Boulevard, struggled greatly to overcome many obstacles during the pandemic. When the lockdown started, construction of the store was temporarily paused which caused a delay in mandatory store inspections. Simply put, The Floatery provides floatation therapy where clients are able to float in a tub with water and high concentrations of epsom salt. 

“This super high concentration of salt creates a high level of buoyancy. The zero gravity properties and many benefits of magnesium sulfate contribute to the overall health benefits, including muscle relaxation, pain and stress relief, and many mental health benefits. This is not only a spa or holistic health therapy, but an actual medical therapy that you can use insurance to pay for,” claimed owner Matthew Hughes. 

To ensure the protection of clients from COVID-19, the business only accepts appointments online and also makes sure there is sufficient time in between appointments for proper sanitation. Other safety measures include using HEPA filters, extreme cleaning of all shared surfaces, wearing masks, and utilizing health screeners. 

Although many local businesses initially ran into many problems to stabilize themselves due to the pandemic, with proper precautions and protective gear, they were able to figure out how to safely operate their establishment while also looking out for the health of employees and customers.