Traders are preparing to open – conditions are not yet clear to everyone

Rimantas Perveneckas, the director of Apranga, the largest clothing retail group in the Baltic countries, says that according to government requirements, 16 of the 106 stores operating in Lithuania could open their doors, but so far he does not know exactly how will they be. able to operate.

“We’ll see what we open. Maybe some won’t work, maybe other problems could. We will definitely open most of it on Monday, and then we’ll see, maybe we won’t guess everything,” R. Perveneckas told BNS.

“Perhaps there are more stores where we can open in other places, temporarily to do, I cannot give a definitive answer. It would have been easier to open all the stores, now it is a bit limited, “he added.

The SBA Group company Utenos Trikotažas plans to renew the operations of six of the 18 stores. Some will open on Monday, others from Wednesday. According to Renata Varaneckienė, brand manager of Utena, this is getting ready for the month.

“During the quarantine, we upgraded some of the store’s equipment, did various preparatory work, and are currently filling the shelves with new spring-summer collections and are looking forward to returning customers,” he said in a statement.

Daina Žymantė, general manager of the home and cosmetics retail chain Drogas, says 30 of the company’s 53 stores will resume operations as of Monday.

“Most of our stores, which have an entrance from the outside, are less than 300 square feet in size. We only have one store, which is bigger, we will not open it and we will open all the others with entrances from the outside, ”D. Žymantė told BNS.

According to her, it is not necessary to return to work with great preparation for the security measures, since they were already applied during the first quarantine and in the summer.

“There is a whole system, panels in the boxes, disinfectant fluids for employees, customers and premises. We have everything, there are no problems here. Of course, you have to be prepared, because the stores have been closed for almost two months, you have to order, clean, change the advertising material, the prices, because the promotions have changed during that time, “said the head of the company.

At the time, Žilvinas Kulvinskis, representative of the technical and electronic commercial network Topo centras, said that it was still clarifying whether there was a possibility of opening stores.

“We are still consulting, we do not have much answer. More ambiguity than clarity, it is difficult to comment on something. Rather, everything possible is done to prevent the big ones from opening, and we are the big ones. (…) The concept of what that it is a commercial premises, what is included, what is not yet is being clarified, “he told BNS.

Rita Račkaitė, director of the ALG knygynai company, which runs the Pegasas bookstore chain, told BNS that 17 bookstores meet the conditions, so most of them will open on Monday.

“Some of the Pegaso bookstores with separate entrances are run by franchise partners, so we are currently adjusting all the details of the opening with them, as well as the opening hours,” said R. Račkaitė.

According to her, intensive preparations for the opening are currently underway and conditions and procedures for testing employees are being harmonized. Testing is unlikely to be mandatory, but recommended.

After the government promised to pay for the tests of employees of the re-established companies, Apranga head R. Perveneckas said the group’s employees are encouraged to take the tests.

“Yesterday we recommended that employees take notes and verify. As far as I know, there are already people registered. Of course, we can’t 100 percent. Guarantee and force everyone to try because I don’t know what the reaction will be. (…) I think it is very logical to do a study, if, of course, these mobile points will be able to all (investigate – BNS), if they do not accept, then we will consider other options ”, he said. R. Perveneckas.

Utenos Trikotažas claims that employees are registered for preventive tests and, according to Drogo’s director, how to organize employee examinations is still being considered. D. Žymantė was unable to respond when the test was planned.

The cabinet decided on Wednesday to allow the opening of non-food stores and hair and beauty salons with separate entrances starting next week.

The doors will be open to those stores with a sales area that does not exceed 300 square meters and that have “a direct entrance from the outside or a separate entrance used only by the customers of that store.”