The co-owner of Dory's Hallmark stories in the Quad Cities is eager for customers to come back. The card and gift shops are located in North Park and South Park Malls.
Herb Trix has more.
Terry Lawrence says he and his 14 employees have been cleaning "like crazy."
Both stores closed to in-person customers in mid-March, missing Easter and Mother's Day sales. The Davenport store reopened in May followed by the Moline store.
But violence in the Quad Cities on May 31st and June 1st forced another three-day closure. But they're both fully open now.
Lawrence had plexiglass barriers installed at the registers to protect employees and customers. And curbside service continues to be available.
Dory's applied for and received Payroll Protection Program funds. But unemployment would have provided more money to his employees, so he increased their pay to persuade them to work during the shutdown.
Five core employees continued to work full-time, answering the phone, plus fulfilling online and curbside orders.
On the bright side, Lawrence says Dory's has opened another location in North Park Mall, an outlet store.
And with all three stores open, almost all his employees are back now to work.
