At Home: About 50% of stores fully open

At Home is reopening stores with a ‘two-carts apart’ mantra.

The value-oriented home décor company said it is reopening its stores as local and state regulations permit, with approximately half of its 218 stores fully open to foot traffic as of May 1. Of the locations that remain closed, about 70 offer curbside pickup and/or contactless next-day local delivery (as permitted by local rules). And over 80% of the company’s total store base now have buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS) capabilities.

Similar to other retailers that are reopening stores, At Home is following enhanced safety, cleaning and sanitization protocols, including restricting the number of customers allowed in stores at one time. New in-store signage will also promote social distancing, including designating one-way traffic aisles and placing reminders throughout the space to maintain a distance of “two carts apart.”  It also is putting spacing indicators 10 feet apart for check-out lines and registers and, where able, installing plexiglass barriers at registers.

In addition, the retailer has added enhanced sanitization protocols that include disinfecting high-touch areas such as shopping carts, credit card readers and checkout areas. Employees and customers will wear face masks as dictated by local guidelines, the company said. It also is requiring team members to adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on handwashing and self-quarantining, including staying home if they are not feeling well.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged our teams to quickly adapt our operations to ensure the safety and well-being of our team members, customers and communities as well as the long-term health of our business,” said Lee Bird, chairman and CEO, At Home. “I am pleased that as we reopen stores, we are able to reinstate a portion of our previously furloughed store team members.”