How did we get here? How will we move past this? How will we survive this? These are the questions I ask myself every day and wonder what I could have (personally) done to prevent Covid-19 from taking over our lives. As we all continue to navigate these unprecedented times, I want to assure you that I refuse to give up on Ms. Fabulous! There are days, truly horrific days, when all I can do is cry. There are many other days, more often, where I am so happy and grateful, feel loved and supported by my amazing friends, family, and customers (who are also like family) that keep me enthusiastically going. Wine also helps.
With the temporary closing of the store two months ago, I’ve worked to add product to the website so that you have the ability to still get your “Ms. Fab” fix. Naturally, the supply chain we rely on for apparel and accessories, shut down due to the pandemic and new shipments stopped or in some cases had to be canceled due to financial uncertainty on my part. While we’d love to add new product to the site daily, we don’t have much coming in, so I apologize if it’s not as robust as you’d like it to be. In the past week, our governor announced that we may begin curbside service for phone or website orders, but we are still not allowed to have customers in the store. We have decided to open our door a few mornings a week for this service or for anyone casually walking by to inquire – but still – nobody can enter the store. We are happy to offer curbside to anyone who would like it, most days of the week, just message us to arrange it.
So, what will the future look like at our retail location? I am actively planning for the re-opening of our store and your experience will most certainly feel a little different. The state and county will require certain safety protocols that we will need to follow, and we will follow them to the letter. Masks will be required to be worn by our customers and employees, and social distancing is here to stay. The number of customers allowed to shop will be limited and you may have to wait outside for your turn. We will have a plexi-glass barrier at the checkout to protect one another from close, face-to-face contact, and fitting room usage will be limited as well. Also, no more dogs/pets allowed for the time being. It’s impossible to social distance from a cute fluffy creature – trust me! You may also notice the smell of cleaning products, as areas will need to be wiped down regularly throughout the day. We may change the number of days open along with a change in operating hours, and may extend new services such as private shopping appointments on closed days. Things will be different, but your health and safety is our top priority and we’ll continue to offer the best service possible in every way possible.
Never in my wildest ‘store ownership' dreams did I think we’d be facing this type of crisis or such uncertainty. The new normal is anything but normal, and all we can do is take it day by day. Please bear with us as we continue on this journey. I want to send a huge “THANK YOU” to all of you for your support and for sticking with us along the way. I cannot adequately express my love and appreciation – but I can assure you, it is endless.
Xoxo Kara