Busy Yorkdale mall frustrates small business owner (VIDEO)

Apr 5 2021, 3:31 pm

The owner of an eyebrow and skincare service is questioning why she saw crowds at Yorkdale mall on the weekend while her own business was ordered to close in the province-wide shutdown.

Haley Bogaert, the owner of HB Face, captured a video on Saturday showing dozens of people strolling the mall’s hallways during a time when public health experts have called for Stay-at-Home orders to curb growing COVID-19 infections.

“This is insane and completely unfair,” Bogaert wrote in an Instagram post on Sunday. “How we have been closed for over 300 days along with a lot of other small businesses … The government thinks this is ok?”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by HBFace (@hb.face)

She pointed out that businesses like hers take contact information for every appointment and take client’s temperature at the door and asked how Yorkdale was keeping track of the number of people inside.

“You’re shoulder to shoulder with them, lining up to make a purchase … it’s just ridiculous,” she said in another Instagram video shared Sunday.

Bogaert added that she’s grateful she has a skincare product line so she can rely on sales during the shutdown. She noted, however, the understandable frustration and worry personal care business owners who rely entirely on services for their revenue feel.

Daily Hive has reached out to Bogaert for an interview.

Ontario had planned to allow personal care services such as hers to re-open on April 12, but that plan was cancelled when Ontario implemented the emergency brake as cases and hospitalizations rose.

The shutdown started Saturday, and malls, such as Yorkdale, can be open at 25% of their usual capacity.

The mall has a live traffic counter on its website that tells visitors how busy they should expect the mall to be. The mall says it closes doors once it reaches 80% of its allowed capacity to control for crowding.

“Capacity is monitored vigilantly to comply with restrictions, and Saturday’s capacity was below guidelines at all times,” a Yorkdale spokesperson told Daily Hive via email.

 

Megan DevlinMegan Devlin

+ News
+ Venture
+ Entrepreneurs
+ Coronavirus
ADVERTISEMENT