SURFSIDE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Under a temporary “home or work” order the Surfside Beach Piggly Wiggly worked to make changes to their way of business on Tuesday.
The order requires all retail stores to limit five customers per every 1,000 square feet of the building.
Piggly Wiggly now allows around 120 customers to shop at a time to provide enough space to keep a safe social distance.
A digital counter will be used to track the number of customers entering and leaving the store.
“I’ve been doing this 21 years and never have I ever experienced anything like it. Never would I have thought I’d come to work wearing gloves every day and a face mask when I’m walking through my deli department. It’s just… an unreal change. Almost surreal,” said store manager, Michael Byrd.
Markers are taped to floors, separating customers throughout the store.
Checkouts are sanitized after each transaction and plexiglass was installed for good measure.
Store employees are required to meet CDC guidelines for wearing masks and gloves.
Byrd says most customers are doing the same.
“When it first started I would say 10 percent, but now it’s 75 to 80 percent of our customers are in gloves and/or a mask,” said Byrd.
Working with restrictions is how the store will operate for now.
Byrd says he couldn’t be more proud of his employees.
“You know what you signed up for when you’re in the grocery business and grocery retail, so you know what you’re getting into. All my employees have stepped up and are cleaning themselves as much as they’re cleaning everything else to protect our customers,” said Byrd.
Byrd says customers can make their shopping experience easier by following CDC guidelines and packing patience should they have to wait in line.