Everyone with their brushes!
When the Legault government decreed that only the businesses deemed essential would be able to remain open in order to combat the spread of the COVID-19, there were a few hours of floating where it was not clear if the renovation centers were triedessential or not.Result, we attended a real rush in hardware stores, mainly in the paint department.
Publié le 7 avr. 2020
Pierre-Marc DurivageLa Presse
"Before we specify the official list, we did not yet know if we were going to stay open," says PhilippeGardens, owner of the Rousseau hardware store in Saint-Lambert. J’ai donc eu une foule de gens qui sont arrivés pour faire des rénos comme si c’était avant la période des déménagements du 1er juillet.»»
M.Desjardins, owner of the small family hardware that has gable on rue Victoria for 82 years, maintains that almost 80 % of customers who went to see him at the start of the week of March 23 bought painting, dyeing, varnish as well asBrushes and other accessories.An impressive proportion, even if the small trade specializes in painting."And as the confinement guidelines could expand over several weeks, I saw people making reserves," he adds.I have already sold outdoor paint.»»
The BMR Matco of Saint-Basile-le-Grand has a large wooden courtyard, here too, it is the painting that is."We have sold materials for project ends, but it is more inside it works," explains the director general of the branch, Luc Lamarre.It is the painting that sells the most, after which we are talking about floating floors and hardwood, hanging ceilings, moldings.People also make reservations of fuses, batteries, pocket lamps.Finally, customers call us to have information on water heaters and other plumbing items.People do not want to be caught off guard with water damage.»»
Keep Zen
Painting projects are obviously among the most accessible, which undoubtedly explains the sudden craze."People want to refresh their home.These are usually spring projects that people want to get ahead of time now, says Luc Lamarre.And we observe the same thing in all other BMR centers.»»
« Peinturer, c’est zen, c’est un baume, autant que ce que peut offrir la SQDC ou la SAQ !»», affirme en rigolant PhilippeGardens quand on lui demande d’expliquer pourquoi les gens se sont précipités pour acheter des pots de peinture, parfois en bidons de 20 litres.However, he must remain Zen himself in all this adventure."I put myself on the front line, we are afraid every day to be contaminated," he admits.I served people who came back from travel and who do not always respect the conditions of their forties.So I have to clean and remove my clothes on the door quay, it creates family stress. Ce n’est pas simple actuellement…»»
To provide safer service, we notably offer car service.Painting pots can thus be placed directly in the trunk of cars, in the parking of the establishment."However, we continue to offer a advisory service, it remains the signing of the house," says Mr..Gardens.We do not skimp on how to do it, we do not want the customer to be cheated on the handling of the product.But currently, it's just if I can cover my costs currently, it's a service that I offer.»»
At BMR Matco Saint-Basile-le-Grand, we also welcome much fewer customers than during the Cohue observed on March 23 and 24-it currently spends seven or eight customers per hour, according to director Luc Lamarre.As elsewhere, we do not lower custody with safety and hygiene measures.Employees are asked to wash their hands every 30 minutes, plexiglass panels have been installed at the funds, card payment is required, and people are systematically intercepted at the entrance so that they disinfect their hands.
The distance between customers is respected, and we have fewer and less recalcitrant customers.I also told my employees not to be embarrassed to tell customers to respect their distances.
Luc Lamarre, director of BMR Matco Saint-Basile-le-Grand
At the Lalonde hardware store in rue Masson, in Montreal, we notice the same benevolent attitude of customers, despite a record crowd at the start of the week of March 23."Customers wash their hands when they get back, they do not lug all from one side and the other, and the majority keep their distance," says Jean Devost, who was responsible for the store while the owners, back fromvacation, completed their compulsory isolation period. Il n’y a personne qui hausse le ton, les gens sont respectueux, c’est surprenant et c’est beau de voir ça !»»
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