Amid recreation rush, Santa Barbara sporting goods stores reopening slowly, unevenly
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Sporting goods stores are slowly reopening, with restrictions, across the Santa Barbara area.
Under Gov. Gavin Newsom's latest guidance for California's reopening, sporting goods stores were among the "low risk" stores that could reopen for curbside pick-up only starting last Friday.
But locally, some store owners are confused by what reopening rules apply to which types of sporting good stores.
“It’s a gray area,” said Tony Hammond, co-owner of The Tennis Shop of Montecito. “We’re not sure if people should be coming in to the shop. Or if, if they want a purchase, do we, do we meet them outside?”
The Tennis Shop, which is benefitting from reopened tennis courts locally, reopened last Friday for pick-up and racquet re-stringing. People can come near the door with a mask and make purchases, but are not allowed to walk around the store.
Other stores have fewer restrictions. Big 5 Sporting Goods, a larger chain store in Santa Barbara, is allowing customers wearing masks inside to shop, with physical distancing rules in place. Employees say that has been the case since last month, and that the store has worked with the County on reopening safely.
Some sporting goods stores, meanwhile, are still temporarily closed.
Mountain Air Sports closed briefly in March before reopening days later for limited delivery and curbside pick-up. Customers are still not allowed to shop inside the store.
“We’re tied in with the Outdoor Industry Association and they’ve had a lot of tips on what to do, how to be safe… where you can kind of balance the safety slash staying in business,” manager Joey Duddridge said.
The store has seen sales drop considerably without tourists in town or locals able to drop in, but an influx of hiking, camping and outdoor activities locally has kept customers coming back.
Employees have stayed in touch with customers virtually, sharing pictures or even FaceTiming in order to show customers products.
“FaceTiming customers, going back and forth over email, like showing things out the windows, out the doors,” Duddridge said. “So anything that anybody’s really needed to get outside and have some fun during this time, we’ve been able to take care of ‘em.”
