Covid-19 coronavirus: Joy, frustration, exhaustion and hope for Taupō CBD businesses

One of Taupō's main shopping streets, Horomatangi St, is deserted three weeks into the alert level four lockdown. Photo / Duncan Mackintosh

COMMENT: Queen's Birthday Weekend was a busy one for our local shops and cafes, providing much-needed income after long weeks of shutdown. Towncentre Taupō general manager Julie McLeod sums up the challenges local retailers have faced since March and in the months ahead.

As local shops, cafes and restaurants gradually began reopening at the end of lockdown, pure joy was the first reaction. Business owners were overjoyed to be back in their shops, working with their teams, reconnecting with their customers and trading once again. While trading was tricky, positivity was in the air.

Joy was slowly followed by confusion as new operational rules were rolled out during the various levels. Business owners and teams had to be continuously creative in their thinking to alter their shops, change the way they trade and adjust their offerings.

Some real wins came out of this critical thinking. I have been told stories of owners entering online retailing for the first time, reaching new customers and adding a whole new level of trade to their business. Others took the opportunity to rebrand and increase their profile in social media, again with positive outcomes, reaching customers they never knew existed.

On top of this new state of trading, owners and managers have to ensure that they keep their staff and their customers safe. This brought on the next mood, a combination of frustration and exhaustion. All around town, I see staff working extra hard to meet customers at the door, remind them of hygiene and check-in systems and ushering excited customers through the shop while quickly explaining new operational protocols.

As customers, we all know about the new rules, but desire for retail therapy and a good coffee sometimes cloud our thinking. These extra efforts do not increase trade or productivity, and in most cases, staff are unable to serve to capacity due to social distancing restrictions.

While staff continue to wear brave, happy faces, personal conversations have revealed the frustration beneath the smiles.

Towncentre Taupō general manager Julie McLeod. Photo / File

As I made my way around town talking with owners, empathy and concern for fellow business owners moved me. Raw competition was set aside and replaced with support for the greater good of the whole of Taupō.

More than one business owner reported a day of tears, followed by a great attitude. I heard more than once, "If I can't laugh about this situation, there's no point in continuing."

Gratitude, as an overall mood, nearly surpassed the initial pure joy. Every single business owner I have spoken with in the past few weeks has been exceptionally grateful for their loyal customers who continue to shop local and support Taupō businesses. This includes locals and Kiwis in general, who love Taupo and want to see businesses here succeed.

GOLOCAL

Michael Opperman from Dixie Brown's summed up his experience to date.

"We are thrilled to be open again under Level 2, and while we like the rest of the industry have taken a big hit during lockdown, we are incredibly grateful to see our loyal local customers come back into Dixie Browns. Their continued support is always appreciated.

Taupō is such an iconic traditional Kiwi holiday destination so I do believe we will have good domestic tourism while the country and the world recovers from this.

"We will keep doing what we are doing and moving forward."

Looking into the future, the mood among Taupō business owners is one of hope. Hope that we will stay healthy, hope that customers continue to shop local and support local, hope that New Zealand as a whole can recover.