Welcome to level 2: shoppers begin to hit the streets, shopping malls.

Stores have opened, but many are not as busy as they might have expected on the first morning of Alert Level 2.

Parking began to fill slowly in Westfield Albany just after 9 a.m.

Several shoppers told the Herald that they were there to buy practical household items that they couldn’t find online at alert level 3.

Zack Liang collected new baby clothes, a children’s chair and a rack for his week-long baby clothes at home.

Liang, who has been working as a courier for the entire lockdown, said he had been hanging out at level 2, but would continue to wear a mask in supermarkets and other public places for the foreseeable future.

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Other cars contained cleaning supplies like vacuum cleaners and mops, kitchen appliances, pots and pans, and muffin pans.

Inside the mall, the ProfessioNAIL nail and beauty salon was almost full.

At Kmart, the pay queue was at least 50 people, but it was moving fast. Children’s clothing, toys, and basic household items, such as pillows, appeared to be the items in most cars.

Abbey Fouché left Kmart in Albany with two stacked cars and carrying two large bags, all for charity.

She founded Mum’s Clique, which supports mothers with services like self-defense classes and gift boxes containing a combination of essential and personal care items, such as diapers, baby wipes, diaries, and hand cream.

They were running out of supplies, so he placed an order with Kmart three weeks ago, but it still hadn’t arrived, so he challenged the queues today, saving money for the charity as many of its purchases were cut.

In the past few days, he has had 300 to 400 women requesting a box, compared to the typical week of 50 to 70 requests.

“It has been a massive increase, people are really struggling. They have lost jobs, women are caught up in domestic violence and have had to leave. It is really sad.”

At the same time that the need has exploded, charities are desperate for donations.

Her 9-year-old daughter, Camilla, was pushing a cart and had been helping her pack boxes.

At Northwest Mall, there were lines of people waiting for haircuts.

At Hamilton’s The Base Mall, there was a queue of about 30 shoppers outside The Warehouse at 8:30 a.m.

The center didn’t open until 9 am, but traffic management and signs were in place.

Shirley and Bruce Alcock were lining up outside the Warehouse at 8 am. They had traveled from Huntly to get some supplies: potting mix.

Also on the cards for many people today there were haircuts.

Hamilton’s couple Sarah and Zac decided to face the brisk morning and stock up on thermals.

They were looking forward to level 2, back to work, but eager for the potential of the crowds today.

In Wellington, the iconic cable car got back to work on what was described as a “beautiful Tier 2 morning.”

Despite the driver hitting and a big wave, there were no passengers on his first trip after the level 3 crash.

Lambton Quay was still undergoing it at about 8.30 in the morning, as the workers returned to the rhythm of things.

And despite the resumption of domestic travel, Wellington Airport was still a ghost town this morning. Only passengers with valid tickets and airport staff could enter the terminal.

Whanganui’s Mud Ducks cafe had several customer tables through the door this morning and the staff was helping customers to dine safely.

“It’s been a little bit of a process just trying to see how everything is going to fit together and trying to get customers to do what they’re supposed to do as well. You really have to lead a lot of people,” manager Tim Watson said.

“It’s almost the same so far [as level 2] but now people have come in and sat down, eaten breakfast, instead of having a bun-like thing. “

Whanganui’s roofer, Chris Campbell, had returned to work from level 3 and would spend the day the same way he had for the past two weeks.

But he was eager to “have the freedom not to be locked inside and to be able to go out and socialize with people, have a beer or two.”