Orchard Park trying not to penalize tenants during pandemic

Julie Michaud is still smarting from the $150 fine she received from Orchard Park Shopping Centre.

Michaud is the owner and operator of the Portia-Ella clean cosmetics store in the mall and the fine is for opening late a couple of Sundays ago.

"Ten minutes before the store was to open at 10 a.m., my employee had a panic attack and called to tell me she couldn't open the store," said Michaud.

"I packed up the family and got there as soon as we could, but I have three small girls, so it's not so easy. We made it there by noon and opened the store and I worked the sales floor for the whole day with my newborn in hand."

Opening late that day was the second time since retail came back after COVID that Portia-Ella failed to open on time.

The first time, Michaud received a warning from the mall.

The $150 fine for the second infraction is triple the standard $50.

"$150 is not so much, but it's about the principle," said Michaud.

"The mall should be supporting, not penalizing, small businesses during this difficult time when it's hard to hire staff during a pandemic. I'm sure other stores are having similar problems and getting fined."

Orchard Park general manager Donna Markin advised she can't speak to specific matters with any retailer with the media.

However, she said: "If a store has an emergency, for example, an employee calls in sick making it impossible to open the store, we would be advised by the tenant they had to close, there is no ramification for that action. Part of keeping the community safe is ensuring employees are not coming to work sick. that is the public health guideline and we encourage our businesses to take that seriously."

Thus said, Markin stressed stores are expected to do whatever they can to keep mall opening hours of 10 am to 6 pm Saturdays through Wednesdays and 10 am to 7 pm Thursdays and Fridays.

Those hours are reduced since retail came back after the COVID lockdown earlier this year.

"Orchard Park is a regional mall. Customers expect stores to be open when they visit the mall," said Markin.

"It is a modest expectation, but one we take seriously. Stores are responsible to manage their businesses."