Get ready for shopping at Granny’s again

Published 1:30 am Thursday, July 9, 2020

Everyone’s favorite island department store — Granny’s Attic — has inched back into operation in recent weeks, first with online shopping and limited donations, and now, with the moment everyone has been waiting for — reopening the store.

But as with everything in the age of coronavirus, there are new procedures and safety protocols in place.

This week, the thrift store will be open for donations and in-store shopping from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 9, 10 and 11. Online sales pickups can still be made from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, with orders ready one day after the purchase date.

The following week, Granny’s will expand in-store shopping and donations to Wednesdays as well.

“That will be our maximum schedule for the time being as we assess public health issues,” said store manager Tim Johnson. “Each of those mornings we will sanitize and stock the store, and then open for donations and sales at noon.”

Granny’s-goers will need to line up, observing social distances, in front of the store before it opens to receive a ticket and time to be let into the shop.

In-store shopping will be initially limited to groups of 30 people, for 20 minutes each. The store requests that shoppers don’t bring children or shopping partners along in the early part of the day.

Johnson said that if space permits, children and shopping partners might be admitted later in the afternoon.

He urged patience from shoppers as Granny’s tests out its new safe-shopping system.

“Remember that you can get tickets for a specific time of the day — subject to our thirty person limit — and come back at that time and get right in, so don’t be discouraged if the first session or two fills up quickly,” Johnson said.

For now, the store will also stick to its limited donation policy, accepting two grocery-sized bags of items along with one additional bulky item per person at a time, he said.

One thing is non-negotiable for everyone shopping or donating to Granny’s: to wear a mask.

“As always, we are a masks-at-all-times location, no exceptions,” Johnson said. “Our research has taught us that the safest possible way to operate is with two masks and six feet between every person. Please help us maintain that.”

For more information, visit grannysattic.org or visit the thrift shop’s Facebook page.