Jeff Licht is eager to get back into stores and "spend, spend, spend" after being cooped up for more than two months in coronavirus lockdown.
Kristen Kielbasa-Cummings, whose immune system is compromised, is in no rush.
One thing is for sure: A lot has changed since either one of them stepped foot in a nonessential store - and there's a good chance that shopping will never be the same.
Chains like Pier 1 are shutting down. Others like J.C. Penney, Tuesday Morning and J. Crew have filed for bankruptcy and are closing stores.
And then there's the safety question: Will shoppers be comfortable walking the aisles next to other consumers amid the coronavirus pandemic?
For Western New York, the answer to that question began taking shape Tuesday afternoon, when stores were allowed to reopen on a limited basis. But it will be months before it becomes clear just how much the world has changed for shoppers.
Staying home has saved Licht money on gas and restaurant purchases. He's eager to get back to brick-and-mortar to buy a pair of sneakers.
"I hate buying shoes online," said Licht, 70, of North Tonawanda. "I'd head right over there to replace the worn ones I’ve been wearing non stop."
After being cooped up for more than two months, shoppers are eager to get out. That's especially the case for those who have been able to work from home during the crisis and save money on workday expenses such as gas and lunch.
Julia Merulla wants to put her stimulus check toward a new mattress and bed frame, but doesn't dare buy one without trying it out first. She also needs summer clothes, which she prefers to pick out in person.
"I’m turning 30 at the end of the month, and I’m not sure how or if I’ll be able to celebrate, said Merulla of West Seneca. "I’d like to find a birthday outfit, and if the best I can do is wear it to Wegmans, that’s what I’ll do."
Watch now: Retail stores on Williamsville's Main Street reopen – but slowly
Time will tell if stores will open to large crowds and long lines Wednesday, as they did in places such as Ohio, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Several national chain stores in Batavia remained closed Monday, despite reaching phase two Friday. Some shoppers in Western New York said they expect long lines when stores first reopen and said they would wait to shop in order to avoid them.
Still, the majority of shoppers who spoke to The News on Tuesday said they were hesitant to visit stores, at least at first.
Many are being cautious because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Kielbasa-Cummings, of Clarence, has a compromised immune system and has increased risk if she's exposed to Covid-19.
"Having those small trips out to the store were what made me feel normal," she said. "With that taken away it was awful. I never realized how much I appreciated that trip to the store for groceries or getting out and perusing the shelves."
She said she's "ready for this to be over" but has seen too many people in the community disregard Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's executive order for all citizens to wear masks in public, and ignoring guidelines about social distancing.
"I thought people would be a little more respectful to others' personal space. Not from what I have seen," she said.
Other shoppers are spending carefully after losing income during the shutdown or saving money during a time of uncertainty.
Diana Miranda of Amherst has been out of work during the shutdown, which has changed her spending habits, hopefully for good, she said.
"I’m definitely short on funds due to the loss of income, said Miranda, 45. "My husband and I are definitely smarter with how we spend our money. Now that it has become more of a habit, we intend to keep spending wisely."
Some shoppers are hesitant to shop amid the current political climate. Further affecting stores and shoppers is an 8 p.m. curfew imposed in Erie County over protests that have turned violent.
Just as Traci Haner's fears about Covid-19 are easing, new ones are cropping up about the social unrest unfolding over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer now charged with murder.
"I figured that I could start hitting hitting the stores more. But now I fear the protests and rioters," said Haner, 41, of Newfane. "I picture myself being inside the store when something big goes down. I know that it’s highly unlikely that it will happen like that, but it’s still in the back of my mind."
Haner will no longer bring her children along on shopping trips, buy non-essentials online and will only shop in stores "with a strict agenda," buying necessities, she said. Several stores on Hertel Avenue and elsewhere, have covered their windows with plywood to protect against looting.
"Shopping isn't fun anymore," she said.
Phase two begins in Western New York today, amid growing unrest
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