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Guidelines For Retailers Re-Opening

Guidelines For Retailers Re-Opening

 

In good news for consumers and retailers, retail stores including stores and malls/shopping centers can re-open to guests on May 18 following Governor Walz issuance of Executive Order 20-56 May 13. The Minnesota Retailers Association worked with DEED Commissioner Steve Grove and a retail roundtable workgroup (representing retailers, chambers of commerce, associations, and other stakeholders) including the Minnesota Retailers Associaiton, the MetroNorth Chamber of Commerce, the Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce and others on re-open guidelines over the past few weeks. Those guidelines are listed below.

The guidelines below do not constitute legal advice and each retailer should do its very best to put in place a re-open plan tailored to best practices and safety for employees and customers.

These guidelines are not intended to apply to restaurants, bars, salons and other business where separate re-opening plans are being contemplated or businesses that are open under existing Executive Orders. We will post links to guidelines for these business when they are available.

Dates for opening and related guidelines:

MnRA's Suggested Guidelines For Re-Opening A Minnesota Customer Facing Business


1. Requirements To Re-Open

The below items are requirements to re-open:

  • Create And Execute A Safety Plan. Retailers must have a safety plan available to workers, customers, the public and government officials with option to modify the existing COVID-19 Preparedness Plan template available at www.dli.mn.gov/updates. THIS IS REQUIRED UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER 20-56 & SUBSEQUENT ORDERS.

  • Include Best Practices Modified To The Retail Setting. A safety plan should contemplate but need not be limited to tailored, site-specific best practices surrounding health/wellness, social distancing, cleaning/sanitation/protection, and operations/communications for in-store customers, appointments, curbside pickup and delivery. See the best practices outline and resources below for suggestions. ADDRESSING BEST PRACTICES IS REQUIRED UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER 20-56 & SUBSEQUENT EXECUTIVE ORDERS.

    Also, note the "Employer plan requirements checklist" from the Department of Labor and Industry. See this list for plan requirements which includes items for malls and shopping centers.

  • Modify Occupancy To Accommodate Social Distancing. Retailers must adjust allowable occupancy and consider regulating customer flow to accommodate social distancing and safety. A 50% OCCUPANCY (MAXIMUM) STANDARD IS REQUIRED UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER 20-56 AND SUBSEQUENT EXECUTIVE ORDERS.


2. Best Practices Outline

The below items should be considered in the safety plan and included, excluded, or modified to improve safety for employees and customers. The safety plan should be specific to the store.

Health and wellness:

    • Evaluate employee health according to CDC and MDH guidelines and screen employees so that only well employees are at work.

    • Adjust policies to accommodate employees not working due to illness or COVID-19 symptoms.

    • Ask that only healthy customers feeling well shop in the store.

Social distancing:

    • Evaluate space, change configuration, adjust flow and modify occupancy with guidepost of 50 percent of occupancy rating or other occupancy metric with deference to ensuring social distancing per CDC guidelines and recommendations.

    • Control building access and regulate customer movement with consideration of one-way traffic.

    • Use signage at the door and throughout the store as well as public address system messages if available to remind customers of social distancing.

    • At checkout and areas of high congestion mark out social distancing, including floor markers for distance, line lanes, and marking adjacent areas where customers may be waiting for store access.

    • At checkout extend space between the customer and clerk with markings, physical barrier, or plexiglass divider.

    • Reconfigure space used for fittings to provide social distancing between customers and protections for customers and employees.

    • Encourage customer use of curbside, delivery, and appointment options.

Cleaning, sanitation & protection:

    • Execute an enhanced, thorough overall store cleaning schedule.

    • Clean and disinfect high touch surfaces frequently.

    • Make hand sanitizer available to customers and employees.

    • Follow Minnesota Department of Heath guidance and relevant Executive Orders on face covering use by employees and customers unless a stronger store policy is articulated.

    • Add protective shields at checkout where social distancing is not practical.

    • Clean fitting rooms, especially high touch areas, following each customer use.

    • Modify merchandise return policies to accommodate cleaning and/or delay of product return to shelves.

    • Make gloves available to workers and articulate when gloves should be used.

Operations & communications:

    • Clearly communicate safety actions and procedures to employees and consumers (website, signage, e-mail).

    • Train all employees on procedures and service surrounding safety protocols and practices, including customer service reminders on social distancing.

    • Make interactions between customers and employees as contactless as practical, including fittings, signatures, transactions, and payments.

    • Have employees make a special effort to engage customers to help them find products efficiently and remind them to practice social distancing.

    • Ask a customer’s permission to touch their products, allow a customer to position their own products for checkout, and encourage self-service bagging.

    • Consider special shopping hours for high-risk individuals and modified hours of operation to accommodate cleaning.

    • Modify and communicate changes to your policies including return merchandise and reusable bags.

    • Discontinue group customer events and sampling.

    • Review safety procedures and expectations with vendors.

    • Thank customers and workers for their focus on safety.


3. Best Practices Resources

The following resources are available as customer facing businesses craft their plans for re-opening.  If you have a best practice document or resource to share, please e-mail us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. As always, check www.mnretail.org/covid-19 for the latest news impacting retailers.

Download & Print Signs

Based on requests from retailers, MnRA offers these signs for download and print. Note: Face coverings are strongly recommended by the Governor and each retailer is allowed to make its own decision on whether they are required or requested. As such we are providing two sign options below.

SocialDistancingInStore 
 
FaceCovering Requested 
 
 FaceCovering Required
 Safe Shopping reminders PDF.     Face covered requested PDF.   Face covered required PDF.  

 Also, check out the Target S.A.F.E. Retail document for many printable signs and policies.


 Just Added: Watch Our Re-Opening Guidance Webinar Now

 

 

Store Best Practices For Social Distancing: Curbside & Delivery

Store Best Practices For Social Distancing: Curbside & Delivery

Note: Click here for important re-open guidelines, samples, and templates!

What You Need To Know For Curbside & Delivery Service Beginning May 4

On April 30 Governor Walz released Executive Order 20-48, which allows retail establishments to begin curbside and delivery services starting Monday, May 4. According to the Administration allowing curbside and delivery services will allow 30,000 Minnesotans get back to work. Here's what you need to know.

In allowing curbside pick-up and delivery, the Governor put out these guidelines:

  • All customer facing retail establishments are eligible for delivery/pick-up starting Monday
    • This includes but is not limited to: household goods rentals, maintenance services, repair services, pet grooming, and more.
  • Every business must develop and post a plan for how to open safely; click here for a template
    • Post the plan in the most practical place possible so employees and customers can see it.
  • Contact-less payment should be used in every possible scenario
  • Employees and customers should wear masks and protective equipment
  • In curbside pick-up, social distancing guidelines apply. Customers should not leave your car if possible
    • You cannot allow customers into retail stores or the business premises.
  • In delivery, items should be deposited outside a customer's residence

For more information on guidance on re-opening businesses click here.

See below for MnRA's best practices for delivery and curbside services.

Retailers across Minnesota are implementing impressive measures to make shopping as safe as possible for customers & employees

To assist retailers, here is a collection of social distancing best practices for curbside and delivery:

  • Contactless payment
  • Social distancing at curbside pickup and delivery:
  • Social distancing and enhanced cleaning in the store when fulfilling orders
  • Use of face covering when social distancing isn’t possible
  • Clear signage and communication between the retailer and customer.
MnRA was pleased to join the Governor for the announcement of opening curbside and delivery across the state. This step is important as laid out in our Critical Next Steps plan. We recognize this is only a short term step and will continue to work with the Governor on re-opening retail stores to customers
 
Share your best practices at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and visit mnretail.org/covid-19 for more information.

Lisa B. Nelson Selected As Minnesota Retailers Association 2020 Board Chair


headshotLisa B. Nelson has been elected chair of the Minnesota Retailers Association (MnRA). In late January the Board of Directors met and selected Nelson to lead the organization representing 1,200 retail stores. The volunteer leadership role is for one year and encompasses leading a group of two dozen Board members from around Minnesota and a staff focused on growing Minnesota’s retail economy and jobs. 

Nelson, a Wisconsin native, is a University of Wisconsin alum and a National Guard veteran.  She is Director of Public Affairs for Walmart, Inc in the Upper Midwest where she works with elected officials in Minnesota, as well as in Wisconsin, Iowa and North Dakota.   Walmart operates 81 retail units in Minnesota, employs 21,640 associates and spends $8.3 billion with Minnesota suppliers, and is a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity.        

“I’m honored to be selected board chair and look forward to working with our board to grow our influence and membership,” Nelson said. “We will continue to advance a pro-business policy agenda that strengthens community retail in Minnesota.”   

Nelson succeeds small business owner Lonnie McQuirter with 36 Lyn Refuel Station, who chaired the Board for 2018 and a portion of 2019.

“As an organization we are happy to have Lisa and her lifelong commitment to service step into this leadership position. Lisa understands the importance of retail to each of our communities across Minnesota, and shares the Association’s desire to see retail lift up people and communities through opportunity,” said MnRA staff president Bruce Nustad. “And we thank Lonnie for his leadership, his love of community, his sense of humor and his focus on helping retailers thrive throughout his time as Board Chair.” 

The Minnesota Retailers Association supports retailers to the benefit of their customers, their communities, their employees, and our state economy. Retail impacts one in five Minnesota jobs. Learn more at www.mnretail.org

Contact:
Savannah Sepic
Minnesota Retailers Association 
400 Robert Street North, Suite 1540, St. Paul, MN  55101 
Tel. (651) 227-6631, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

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