Coronavirus In Minnesota: Home Improvement Projects Popular Amid Stay-At-Home Order
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. (WCCO) -- Saturday was the first day of the two week stay-at-home order across the state. Despite this lockdown in place, several Minnesotans were out and about running errands, particularly at hardware stores.
"It was really busy, I was surprised," said Haley Lohmann, who shopped at Menards in Golden Valley, "I didn't think there would be many people out, especially the first day of the order to stay at home."
Lohmann was one of many customers who came to Menards to buy supplies to work on at-home projects during the two week stay-at-home order.
"Stocking up on projects and entertainment for myself," said Lohmann. "Closet shelving is my project to tackle, custom shelving, gotta get it going, get organized."
Rick Tupa has a list of at-home projects he's put on the back burner that he now wants to get done in these next two weeks.
"Getting rid of spider webs, taking everything out and cleaning the floors, cleaning the walls, painting the walls," Tupa said.
Leaving your home to run these kinds of errands is allowed under the order. Law enforcement says they are allowing free travel on all the streets and highways.
The Department of Public Safety encouraged all police departments to take an educational approach to the stay-at-home order, by just making people aware of the order and breaking up larger groups.
Chief Medaria Arradondo with Minneapolis police says they will only cite people who don't comply after being asked first to do so.
"Rest assured, this pandemic does not mean in any way shape or form that we will start utilizing broad sweeping arrest powers, we will not be questioning or demanding papers from those in our new immigrant community," Arradondo said.
Businesses like Menards and Home Depot will remain open because hardware stores are considered essential.
Here's a full list of what businesses are opened and closed during the Stay-At-Home order:
Minnesota's two-week Stay at Home order takes effect tonight at 11:59. Here's what's open and what's closed.
Still have questions? Head to https://t.co/7PMq0DKbwP for resources and answers to frequently asked questions.
Let's keep fighting #COVIDー19, together. #StayHomeMN pic.twitter.com/GNIliXf6lK
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) March 27, 2020