Welcome to the new world!
Please keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times. Buckle up and hold on tight as we navigate the twists and turns of this uncertain terrain. It’s going to be a bumpy ride!
Over the past few months we have received an outpouring of support and so many suggestions to keep our little shop alive. We appreciate all of you and you and yes… even you (you know who you are).
There has been so much to consider. If you thought of it, so did we and even when we thought we had taken everything into consideration… something else would present itself.
We are opening on July 3rd.
To keep our operating costs down we will open Fridays through Sundays straight through to Thanksgiving. Now please bear with me as I explain how we came to our decision and what the plan is…
We want to open as close to normal as possible (which truly isn’t normal at all, but we’ll work with what we’ve got) so let me preface this by saying; we have never been all about the bottom line. Sure, keeping the doors closed and taking orders would be easier with no loss incurred. We have always said that whether you purchase a dozen tarts or just a tart or two, you matter to us. That’s not lip service. Orders would require a minimum amount which would mean those customers, and there are a lot of you, who arrive for a tart or two (some once, some regularly) would be left out. There would be no need for our sign on the road which would mean losing potential new customers exploring the area. It would mean missing out on the social interaction we look forward to every year.
No chit chat, no banter, no music, no laughter, no smiles.
Uh… no.
(Also, on that note, our prices remain the same as last year).
‘kayso… on Friday July 3rd at 10am we will open with social distancing safety measures in place. We will be allowing one person (or two from the same household) into the store at a time. There will be signage and everything will be marked. A face mask or covering will be required inside the store.
Bill and I will be wearing a mask for your protection. We have heard both sides of the mask argument and we ask that our little business not become a battle ground for mask vs. no mask. When you enter our store, you are also entering our home. We wear a mask out of respect for you and to keep you and those you care about safe. We ask the same of you. We are simply doing what we need to do to keep our business running. Hand sanitizer will be available for use inside the store.
Are we going to make mistakes? Probably. Are people going to be annoyed with us? Definitely. Are we going to offer the same quality and care we always have. Absolutely!
Please be patient with us. I say this again… unprecedented. We have stressed our way through the past few months thinking only of how to stay safe, keep you safe, and keep The Little Tart from becoming a casualty of covid 19.
Thank you so much! We can’t wait to see you again!