Photo by Deb Gau With retail stores given the go-ahead to reopen starting Monday, some of Marshall’s downtown businesses are getting ready. Hannah Hagen and Courtney Voorhees were cleaning and putting clothing displays together at the Noble Woman Boutique on Main Street Thursday afternoon.

MARSHALL — It’s been a tough spring for many local businesses, with COVID-19 safety precautions shutting down shops, restaurants, salons and more. But with this week’s announcement by Gov. Tim Walz that retail stores and malls will be allowed to reopen, some Marshall businesses are busy getting ready.

“I think it’s time,” said Sarah Kesteloot, owner of the Rustic Hideaway Boutique in Marshall. On Thursday afternoon, Kesteloot was working to get her store cleaned and stocked for next week. “I’m very thankful we finally got the go-ahead.”

While local businesspeople are happy to open shop, some say there are still plenty of questions and concerns ahead. There are questions about how best to keep both customers and employees safe. Businesses like restaurants, bars and hair salons still can’t open to serve customers, although Walz said the state is working on a plan to reopen those businesses by June 1.

For the Walnut Grove Mercantile in Marshall, a lot of business questions will have to do with whether schools and businesses are still closed down in the future.

“Our big concern going forward is going to be the manufacturing end,” said owner Steve Klein. Walnut Grove Mercantile has already been impacted by shutdowns in Minnesota. “For us, it’s not good. We do a lot of fundraisers with our fudge.” With schools, businesses and other organizations closed down, fundraiser sales aren’t really possible.

Klein said he hoped Walnut Grove Mercantile would be open again sometime next week, but they wanted to make sure they had additional food safety measures in place first.

On Thursday afternoon, some of Marshall’s downtown businesses, like Rustic Hideaway and Noble Woman Boutique, were busy working to try and be open by next week.

“I’m excited to be at work, and be open,” said Courtney Voorhees, of Noble Woman Boutique. There was a lot to be done, however. Noble Woman recently had new flooring put in, and on Thursday Voorhees and Hannah Hagen were working to clean and sanitize the store, and get displays of clothing and merchandise set up.

“I’m very excited for everyone to open up,” said Vanessa Torke, owner of Nessa’s Naturals. Torke said her business could have stayed open this spring, because the store carries essential items like personal care products. However, due to a variety of factors including safety concerns over COVID-19, the store closed down and focused more on online sales from March 27 to May 4. The thought of getting more business in Marshall’s downtown area again is “exciting for all of us,” Torke said.

“Marshall has done a great job of building up its downtown,” into a place people want to come and visit, Torke said.

Kesteloot said it was good to get some advance warning from the state that stores would be able to reopen. “We need to have products shipped in at the right time,” something that she said has been challenging this spring. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, not all suppliers are shipping as often or quickly as they normally do, Kesteloot said.

In addition, retail stores that reopen will have to follow guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, like limiting the number of people inside the store at one time to 50% of occupancy. Local business owners said they’re working out how to comply with that new rule, but they’re planning on abiding by the guidelines and state and national health recommendations.

“We are taking a lot of time to review the state guidelines,” Klein said Thursday. He didn’t know if Walnut Grove Mercantile would be ready to reopen right away on Monday. “We still have lots of concerns about safety.”

While the Mercantile has always practiced food safety because of the fudge and other food products it sells, Klein said the rules will have to be stepped up as a precaution against COVID-19. They aren’t going to be able to offer samples, or to cut the fudge in the front area of the store, he said.

Although curbside pickup service, sales of gift certificates and online sales were allowed while Minnesota retail stores were closed, local businesspeople said they’ve still been affected by the shutdown.

“We don’t do a ton of online business,” Voorhees said. It’s the interaction with customers that’s important, as well as the most fun part of her job, she said.

“I’m incredibly thankful for that did support us online,” Kesteloot said. “That meant a lot.”

Klein said while there weren’t a lot of curbside orders at Walnut Grove Mercantile, the people who did put in orders have been great customers.

“We’re so thankful that they did,” he said. Some customers bought items like puzzles to help get them through the stay-at-home order.

While there’s still a lot of questions to be worked out for Minnesota businesses, one thing is clear — it’s more important than ever to support local businesses, said Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce President Brad Gruhot.

“The economy needs a push. Not only statewide, but locally,” Gruhot said. “We really need people to be shopping local.”

Local businesspeople said they’ve been happy for community support they’ve received during the shutdown.

“There’s been so much support by the Marshall community,” Voorhees said. “I feel like we’ve seen so much good in the area.”