Whitehorse businesses close, adjust operations over COVID-19 concerns

Several businesses in Whitehorse have either closed down indefinitely or implemented new measures in response to concerns around the spread of COVID-19.

As of Saturday evening, there have been no reported cases of the illness in the territory, but related economic impacts are already being felt in the city. 

"One sees ups and downs in the economy, but nothing like this, no," said Glenys Baltimore, who has owned The Chocolate Claim for 18 years.

The catering side of her business dried up last week.

"People are very wisely not holding meetings or large gatherings," Baltimore said.

This week, there was a drop in the number of sales at the cafe, and the overall business is only bringing in 25 per cent of its usual revenue, she added.

The store closed indefinitely on Wednesday.

Baltimore said she's fortunate to have money saved up to help weather part of the financial storm of the closure.

She said she hopes to wait it out for at least three months.

"It just means that I'll be putting off my retirement a bit. It certainly isn't going to take all of my retirement savings, but it will take a good swack," Baltimore said.

On Thursday, she met with her employees to discuss their next steps, including how she can help them with employment insurance. Fourteen of her employees have been laid off.

"I'm most concerned about my staff, and I'm going to make sure that everyone is OK," Baltimore said.

Well-Read Books faced an opposite situation, according to Rachel Travis, manager of the used-book store.

Business was unusually brisk earlier in the week as people stocked up on books to keep them busy in case they have to stay home for a long period of time, she said.

"We're cleaned out of 'Harry Potter,'" Travis said.

On Wednesday, the store was indefinitely closed to the public.

Travis said there was an effort to encourage social distancing at the store, including sticking tape on the floor so that customers knew where to stand after placing their books on a counter a couple of metres away.

"It wasn't working. It seemed that everybody was just quite comfortable with leaning on the counter and coming closer, so we decided that we'd shut our doors," she said.

The store is now accepting orders by phone or email.

Travis said sales have slowed down, "but who knows what'll happen?"

Offering delivery of books is being considered, and the full impacts of the closure are still being analyzed, she said.

"I think people will have to get laid off or take time off, which will be hard on everyone," Travis said.