Another advantage for big box stores

[Robert Urbanek]

Since they sell groceries, big box stores like Walmart and Target can stay open in California during the coronavirus shutdowns. But they sell a lot else: clothes, electronics, toys, etc.

Given they cannot guarantee a “safe distance” between shoppers or shoppers and clerks and salespeople, why are they a safer place to buy non-essentials than a boutique store that may only serve two or three customers at a time in person-to-person situations that are no worse than in the big stores?

 

[shockedcanadian]

Since they sell groceries, big box stores like Walmart and Target can stay open in California during the coronavirus shutdowns. But they sell a lot else: clothes, electronics, toys, etc.

Given they cannot guarantee a “safe distance” between shoppers or shoppers and clerks and salespeople, why are they a safer place to buy non-essentials than a boutique store that may only serve two or three customers at a time in person-to-person situations that are no worse than in the big stores?

They can't, but they have a great amount of political and financial clout. Same with restaurants. Since they can't order McD to shut down, they can just force them to rely on drive through.

I'd bet there is a far better chance one catches the virus in a big box store with hundreds of people than a small, family owned store where there might be 3-4 people in at a time. Although, there might be an argument you are in closer proximity in smaller stores and share the same air, in a big location, people are touching and spreading germs to a much higher number of people.

Also, I don't know about some cities, but in Toronto the subways are still running. That's 2 million riders a day on average. Maybe half now due to so many at home, but that's still a great deal of close interaction.

I suppose it's not a perfect situation. There has to be SOME economic activity.