School supplies retailers hoping for business bump as Lloyd announces school restart date
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A local retailer said yesterday his business was seeing just 35 percent of pre-COVID-19 sales, noting that uncertainty regarding how schools will reopen this fall has kept many consumers at bay.
James Wallace, owner and operator of the popular uniform supplier Janae’s Uniform Centre, told Eyewitness News: “We are thankful for the few customers that we see coming in. It’s a challenge dealing with social distancing and having to keep people outside but that’s a normal thing happening in every business establishment.
“For us, the uncertainty on whether we have virtual or full in-person is a question mark which is keeping people away. That affects our business.
“We are kind of disappointed that the government has yet to say anything publicly about how schools are to open in a few weeks. Our customers don’t know what level of purchases to make.”
Wallace added: “Comparing pre-COVID to now, I would say we’re doing about 35 percent of our usual sales. That’s where we are; that’s reality. It’s a big struggle to stay in business, trying to keep our staff off the employment line.
“It is my hope that the Bahamian people would take advantage of the vaccines. America has given almost $2 million worth of vaccines. Vaccine hesitancy is a major problem in this country.”
Education Minister Jeffrey Lloyd said yesterday that schools will reopen on August 30. He noted that on some islands, some schools will reopen with face-to-face instruction. Lloyd said that on New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco and parts of Eleuthera, schools will reopen with a hybrid learning method.
Pia Farmer, director of Custom Computers, told Eyewitness News: “Custom Computers has been exceptionally busy since last year providing computers, printers, tablets and other tech products for clients working from home and students learning on line.
“We have been fortunate to have long-standing relationships with technology distributors and manufacturers, which have helped us to compete internationally to secure quality brand products to offer our customers.”
With the Back-to-School value-added tax (VAT) holiday beginning yesterday, Farmer noted: “We are ready with several laptop options and bundles with free school bags and accessories, and we expect to be quite busy in the next couple of weeks, as we usually are at this time of the year.
“The Know-How Team takes this opportunity to wish our students well and encourage them to strive for excellence in the upcoming school year. We are ready with the tools they need to succeed.”
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