Our Response to COVID-19

Our Response to the Covid-19 crisis
Our employees, customers and communities health and wellness has been our top concern since 1984 when we started our health food store.  We want to ensure our community that we are doing everything that we can to protect them while they come in and shop for their essential health and wellness products during this uncertain time.  We are following all recommended CDC guidelines for the protection of our customers and team. 
1.  We have installed sneeze guards throughout our store where our employees and customers are most vulnerable and stand with in 6 feet from one another.  
2.  We have an hourly disinfecting schedule where all common surfaces, door handles, bathrooms, carts, etc are getting wiped down and disinfected.  
3.  We are disinfecting our credit card keypad, counter that is frequently touched, door handles in and outside and shopping carts between each customer.  After each customer we wipe those down.  Our store team members are using sanitizer and washing their hands between customers.  
4.  Our store team has face masks provided for each of them by the store made by a local member of the care team who has been making masks for hospital workers.  At this time the CDC is not requiring essential workers to wear masks, but when or if that time comes our team has them ready to go.  Although not necessary we encourage our customers shopping to wear face masks if that makes them more comfortable.  We are not using gloves for ringing transactions due to the great cross contamination that happens when gloves are not properly used or or disposed of between customers or touching any surface.  CDC suggests that only health care personal use them and to not create more shortage for their needs.  To properly use gloves we would need to throw them away after every single customer transaction and that seems very wasteful and unnecessary.  Instead the team is properly disinfecting their hands and washing them.  We ask our customers to do the same and have provided hand sanitizer at the counter and they are welcome to use our public bathroom as well to wash.  
5.  We have applied social distancing floor decals to gently remind customers and team members to keep a safe distance from one another while still providing exceptional customer service.  We kindly ask our customers to respect the space of other people including our employees.  
6.  We are still open to the public, however we are limiting the number of guests in the store at one time.  With our 3000 square foot store our limit is 15 people in the given space. Which allows for 5 people for every 1000 square feet.  Including our employees. We are also asking any customers that are experiencing any symptoms similar to COVID-19 symptoms to please refrain from coming into the store and to allow us to assist you in another way.  This also includes bringing in unnecessary traffic into the store.  When possible we ask that parents not bring children in and try to limit one family member at a time.  We typically love our guests to spend as much time in the store as necessary and possible.  We want people to browse and look around, however during this time was ask people to make quick purchases, in and out.  There will be a time that we can leisurely shop again, but we just are not there yet.  
7.  We have curb side carry out, shipping and local delivery free of charge for anyone that is uncomfortable coming into our public space.  We also have select items including our Peace Garden Hemp CBD brand available on our website www.terryshp.com 
8.  Although not required, we are asking customers to limit use of cash and checks and to use credit or debit whenever possible.  Credit card readers are much easier to disinfect than paper cash and coin. 
9.  We have asked that personal shopping bags brought from home not be used or brought into the store.  We have other boxes and paper bags for recyclable options.  We have also eliminated anything that could be opened or shared, such as our testers of any product, our spice and herb jars are only to be opened by employees assisting etc. 
10.  Our Health Squad team members are an essential part of getting these necessary items to our customers for their health needs.  Because we value our employees and the incredible job they do we have implemented what we call Hero Pay.  We have increased the hourly salary for all of our employees based on the current situation.  Other things we have done behind the scenes: We removed chairs so that only one member of our team can sit at our small break tables at a time to encourage them to social distance.  We have asked that all personal items be kept in their vehicle and what has to be brought in be kept in their lockers at all times.  Our team members with longer hair, we have asked that they please keep it pulled back to discourage face touching.  No drinks on our sales floor.  Our team works very close together so we have asked them to remember to please practice social distancing with each other.  We have had discussions with everyone on our team that anything they do in their personal life could affect their teammates at the store.  So we have asked everyone to respect the same measures in their personal lives that we are taking at the store.  Travel, gatherings, disinfecting, making smart decisions.   


We are evaluating the situation on a daily basis to make the determination what is in the best interest of our community and store team.  We will continue to take these precautions and do what ever is necessary for our customers and their health needs.  We want our customers to continue to have access to the health and wellness and specialty grocery items that so many need for their health.  
Thank you for supporting us through this time, we greatly appreciate it and cant wait to see everyone again soon!  ​