Area businesses differ on COVID-19 protocols
As Augsustana students continue to venture off campus and throughout Sioux Falls, it’s important for them to know where they can go while staying safe from COVID-19.
Here are some of the go-to stores and restaurants for Augustana students and whether or not they have COVID-19 precautions in place.
Bagel Boy
The breakfast staple for Augustana students has a few precautions in place to provide safety for its customers.
Signs outside the store encourage customers to remain socially distanced, and signs on the ground force people to follow a spaced out path while in line. Additionally, the store has markers on tables to let customers know if they have been sanitized or not.
The spacing of tables is not as well managed, with there being a large amount of tables and booths within a small area.
Additionally, the store does not have signs requiring or encouraging customers to wear masks.
Coffea Roasterie
The local coffee shop chain has some standard precautions in place to provide safety for its customers.
Signs outside both their Phillips Ave. and Louise Ave. locations recommend customers to wear masks. Additionally, the employees all wear masks.
While no tables are closed off, tables are spaced out enough to follow social distancing guidelines.
According to an employee, the store has also switched to only disposable cups so the reuse of dishes is limited.
Crow Bar
A go-to bar for Augustana students, the Crow Bar is doing very little to protect its customers against COVID-19.
There are no signs requiring or recommending mask usage. Additionally, the employees don’t have to wear masks either.
One precaution the bar is taking is that they frequently sanitize tables in between use.
Giliberto’s
The 24-hour restaurant that is iconic among Augustana students is upfront with its many COVID-19 precautions.
On the doors to the store, there are signs requiring that customers wear masks when they are not eating. Inside the store, there are also signs urging customers to stay socially distanced when possible.
The restaurant also removed its salsa bar, which anyone was able to access, to reduce touching of surfaces.
When possible, the seating is spaced out to allow for social distancing. This is not the case with its booths, however, which are not able to be moved.
While masks are required inside, some of the employees, especially those in the kitchen, do not always wear a mask.
Josiah’s
With no upfront information for customers, the downtown coffee shop and restaurant is doing little to proactively keep customers safe.
Outside the store, there are no signs telling customers to wear masks or stay socially distanced. Inside, the only precaution taken is spots on the ground in line that encourage customers to stay spaced out.
When it comes to table spacing, the seating is very close together, and none of the seats or booths have been closed off to allow for space between customers.
Last Stop CD Shop
The used CD, movie, video game and book store makes its COVID-19 precautions well known with many signs before customers even walk into the store.
At both locations, there are multiple signs on the doors letting customers know masks are required and that there are no exceptions to that rule, while also saying that masks are available at the front counter.
The signs also mention if customers don’t want to enter the store, they can pick up their purchase from the curb.
Inside both stores, there are signs that remind customers to stay socially distanced. This is easier at their location on 12th street, as there is enough space, but their location on 41st is more packed, making distancing harder.
Plato’s Closet
The used clothing store chain is taking very few COVID-19 precautions.
Outside the store, there is a sign encouraging customers to maintain a six-foot distance, but given the tight space of the clothing aisles, this rule is not easy to follow and is not enforced.
The store does not require masks, although there is a sign on their door telling customers to “consider wearing a face mask.”
While some other clothing stores have closed or limited their dressing rooms, Plato’s has not followed that idea. All of their dressing rooms are open, and there is little space between them.
Vinyl Taco
The restaurant and bar on Western Ave. has nearly no indications of any precautions it is taking.
There are no signs that require or encourage either face masks or social distancing. Some employees wear masks, but it is not a universal rule.
Additionally, seating is very close together, and no tables are closed to allow for distancing.
Zandbroz Variety
The downtown variety store has many signs outside of the store to inform customers of its COVID-19 precautions.
There are signs letting customers know that masks are required and that disposable masks can be purchased at the front counter if needed. There is also a sign showing customers how to correctly wear a face mask.
They also have a sign that addresses the politicization of face masks.
“This is not a political statement;” the sign says, “we are following best practices. We know some of you will disagree and that’s OK. Don’t come in to tell us about it — unless you are wearing a mask.”
