General stores across Prince Edward Island are extra important these days.
Islanders are shopping local more now with the coronavirus (COVID-19 strain) pandemic limiting where people can – or feel comfortable – buying supplies.
In Eldon, Cooper’s Red and White has been selling out of flour and yeast as fast as the shelves are stocked, said owner David Cooper.
“There’s a lot of people home doing a lot of extra baking. Yeast and flour, you can’t keep it in stock,” he said.
Other traditional foods are also popular.
“Carrots, turnips, potatoes, everybody’s going back to the old way. They’re home and cooking meals.”
His staff is kept hopping putting together phone orders for pick-up or delivery with some as far as the capital city.
“Our son lives in Charlottetown and he takes them in at night,” said Cooper.
“A lot of people are scared of crowded grocery stores.”
North of Coopers, on Route 2, one convenience store has seen the impacts of the coronavirus.
“It’s quiet in Mount Stewart,” said Bonnie MacLeod, store manager at the Big Dog convenience store and Irving gas station.
She misses the regulars who used to come in and have “a bit of a chin-wag” with neighbours. Folks aren’t hanging around, instead taking self-distancing measures seriously, said MacLeod.
It may be due to her vigilance. Should anyone walk past the hand-sanitizer station at the entrance, MacLeod sends them right back.
“I need to do what I can do to help stop it at my door. I don’t want it coming into my store.”
Gas sales are down, but baking supplies are going fast. Even suppliers are running low, said MacLeod.
“Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard was completely bare. Brown sugar’s almost impossible to get apparently. Flour, yeast, anything to do with baking; there’s no chocolate chips, no coconut. Anything to do with baking – gone.”
Meanwhile, the Kinkora Irving has become a popular hub in Prince County.
The gas station, convenience store and agency liquor store almost always has a lineup, but owner Ramona Roberts said everyone is respectful, even if it does go “against the grain” for her to make customers wait.
“We haven’t had any complaints. What we’ve had is overwhelmingly people thanking us for providing services for them,” said Roberts.
With the pandemic, business patterns have changed completely, she said.
The morning rush is quiet, as are lunchtimes, but they are busier than usual with customers looking for alcohol. Staff has been running orders out to the curb for customers. Roberts even hired two temporary staff to keep up with demand.
“Running a business is always adapting to change, and adapting to the needs of your customer base, it just usually evolves over a wider time,” she said.
“We really hit the ground running with this.”
The local regulars have watched as many new customers descend on the rural community to stock up on liquor and other necessities.
“They have been amazing. They recognize our staff is working extra hard and extra long. They’ve brought flowers, they’ve brought meals, they’ve brought cookies. They have shown such support of us, for the staff there, it’s heartwarming. It just makes you feel good to go to work everyday.”
