'Retail To Go': Small Local Retailers Reopen For Curbside Service After Coronavirus Shutdown
McKINNEY, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — Long before Lys Childs-Wiley and her husband, Shado, agreed on getting married, they agreed they'd one day open a comic book store.
"That's why the name is Carpe Diem, because the day came and we chose to seize it," Lys said.
Open for nearly two years just off McKinney's town square, Carpe Diem Comics now feels empty.
"It's everything we've worked for for over 20 years and we just got it to the point where it's like, 'We're going to make it.' But maybe we're not gonna make it," she said.
After weeks of online sales and seeing only their dog, the pair re-opened the store Friday for curbside pickup.
"Hoping the customers show up," Shado said.
Some shops have chosen to stay closed, worried they won't do enough business to sustain themselves.
"There is a lot of concern that people will not feel comfortable coming out," said McKinney Chamber of Commerce President Lisa Hermes.
She said merchants are being proactive in taking precautions to boost customer confidence.
Many will be watching to see how much "retail to go" boosts sales this weekend.
"That's probably top of mind, taking a look, seeing how things are going," Hermes said.
Strong community support has helped, but many customers are struggling, too.
"Everyone's going, 'Well, I need to support our small businesses, but I haven't been paid in a month."
As difficult as it's been, Shado and Lys say they support the restrictions in place for the sake of safety.
Seeing customers stop by for curbside pickup, though, is giving them a new burst of energy.
"We get to talk for a little bit, even from six feet away through masks," Shado said.
On their first day, he said they managed to do twice as much business as they've averaged in the last 30 days.
"That's improvement. That's improvement. It's been a good day," Lys said.