Fewer seats, more delivery: Whitehorse businesses adapt to social distancing

First the Arctic Winter Games were cancelled, then came the broader warnings for people to stay home if possible to avoid spreading the novel coronavirus or COVID-19.

It's left many stores and restaurants in Whitehorse trying to figure out how to keep operating — if at all.

"We're taking it hourly. Originally we were saying daily, but this is an evolving situation that is actually changing hourly," said Lee ​Willett, who owns the Burnt Toast Café in downtown Whitehorse.

Her restaurant has done a number of things in response to public health warnings. There are signs up asking customers to wash their hands on entry. Staff are cleaning things more frequently. 

The restaurant, which already offered takeout, is also now delivering meals. And some tables and chairs are stacked and unused, to allow more space between eat-in diners.

"We normally have a 50-seat capacity, and we've dropped it to 33, so sort of that social distance that they want," Willett said.

On Monday, health officials in Yukon advised against any gathering of 50 people or more. They did not ask businesses to close, but did suggest that bars and restaurants limit capacity.

They said this is a "critical moment" in Yukon, when social distancing can significantly limit or slow any spread of infection.

Riverside Grocery, a small independent retailer in Whitehorse, is also adapting. The store is offering to deliver staples like fruits, vegetables and cleaning products to customers who are under quarantine or are self-isolating.

"We would much rather have us be able to deliver it to them, than [for them] to come out into the public," said Ella Commons, whose family has run the store for 40 years.

Commons said she started delivering this week to some friends and family who had returned from abroad and were under quarantine. Now any customer can request it. 

"It's been really helpful for them … so I figured if I know people who are coming home and needing this, there must be others in town as well, who need some help," she said.

"Social distancing is like the number one thing that you can do to help, so we're just trying to make that a little bit easier for everybody." 

Some customers 'completely unaware'

Willett said she's surprised by how many people are not taking the COVID-19 pandemic seriously.

"I talk to customers all the time who are completely unaware," she said.

"They seem surprised that we've taken tables away, they seem surprised we're asking them to wash their hands and this kind of thing."

Still, Willett said her business will keep doing what it can to help.

"You have to be smart about this, and I think Yukon, so far, we have no cases but that could change tomorrow, that could change within a week — and I think it will."

Michael King, one of the owners of Bean North, a coffee roaster in Whitehorse, also thinks a lot of Yukoners don't realize the impact the pandemic is already having.

"I think we're going to realize, possibly, when we see some businesses closing. I think that's going to be the shock to the community," he said, adding he thinks it's "inevitable" that business will close.

King deals with a lot of local businesses and said many are worried about how they'll get through this.

"We're fortunate because quite a bit of our business is outside the territory, so we are seeing an upswing in online ordering and stuff like that," he said, but noted they will still see a downsize.