Pool store makes changes to stay open and afloat

Pinch A Penny makes changes to keep customers, workers safe

COVERINGS.

SHOPPERS WILL NOT BEREQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK, BUT,ARE ENCOURAGED TO DO SO.EVERY MORNING, HERE ON FOX 4, WESPOTLIGHT A LOCALLY OWNEDBUSINESS OR A NON-PROFIT, THAT’SHAD TO CHANGE THE WAY THEY DOTHINGS, TO KEEP GOING DURING THEPANDEMIC.WE CALL THE SERIES "WE’RE OPENSOUTHWEST FLORIDA."TODAY WE’RE SHOWING YOU ABUSINESS THAT, ESPECIALLY NOW,FEELS ESSENTIAL.cg 32-47IT’S ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT WAY TOBEAT THE HEATANDNOTHING AGAINST PUZZLES ORBOARD GAMESBUT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DOUSETHE SLOW BURN OF STAY AT HOMEBOREDOMA BACKYARD POOL IS THEWAY TO GO.SOTCHRIS CHAPMAN, PINCH A PENNY"People are trapped at home andthey’re going to be using theirswimming pools.

And if you don’tsanitize a swimming pool, you’regoing to have problems."AND SO, THAT’S WHERE CHRISCHAPMAN COMES IN.HE OWNS THE PINCH-A-PENNY ATCHIQUITA AND Cape Coral PARKWAYAND LIKE ALL POOL STORES, THESTATE CONSIDERS HIS ESSENTIAL.BUT THINGS ARE ANYTHING BUTNORMAL HERE.SOTCHRIS CHAPMAN, PINCH A PENNY"We had to completely change ourbusiness model, from being avery easy to shop environmentwhere you could walk in, justlike any retail store and picksomething off the shelf and goto the register and purchase it,to a point where we’re justdoing curbside service."THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO GO TO ACURBSIDE COUNTER TO BUY PARTS,OR POOL TOYS, OR TO GET YOURWATER TESTED.AND WHEN YOU GET THERE, WORKERSIN MASKS AND GLOVES WILL GREETYOUAND THEN GO INSIDE, TO FINDWHAT YOU WANT.SOTCHRIS CHAPMAN, PINCH A PENNY"For us to be able to reallyshop for them is difficult.

Youdon’t really know what somebodyis looking for."THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGES, THOUGH,COME FROM THIS BUSINESS BEING SOPERSONAL.CHAPMAN HAS SEVERAL EMPLOYEESWHO DO HOME VISITS EVERY DAY.SOTCHRIS CHAPMAN, PINCH A PENNY"We have even done some homedeliveries for people who aretrapped at home.

We’ve hadcustomers who areself-isolating, and we’ve had afew customers that either has afamily member that’s beeninfected, or they believe theymay be infected.

And they’veasked if we could deliver theproducts they need to theirhome, and we’ve done that."Shaw: "Does that put theemployees in a trickysituation?"Chapman: "It has and I’ve talkedto each of my employeesindividually and given them anout so to speak, it’s notrequired for them if they don’tfeel comfortable, but we aregiving them as much PPE as wecan."THAT MEANS GETTING HIS HANDS ONAS MANY MASKS AND GLOVES ASPOSSIBLE.SOTCHRIS CHAPMAN, PINCH A PENNY"And that’s also what we’vechanged on the road.

The servicetechnicians are in people’sbackyards every day grabbing ascreen door handle someone mayhave touched five minutesbefore.

Again, they’re usinggloves and hand sanitizer towipe everything down."PINCH A PENNY CORPORATE SAYS,ALL THEIR SOUTHWEST FLORIDASTORES ARE TAKING THE SAMEPRECAUTIONS RIGHT NOW.CHAPMAN IS ALSO CLOSING HISSTORE A LITTLE EARLYTO CLEANAND RESTOCKAND TO GIVE HISEMPLOYEES A BREAK.THAT’S IMPORTANT, HE SAYS,BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING ALL OF USARE GOING THROUGH.SOTCHRIS CHAPMAN, PINCH A PEN"Everybody is being affected bythis, I’m not being singled out.It’s not my business beingsingled out.

I think about howfortunate we are to be able tofunction at some capacity,whereas, we know a lot ofrestaurants and other businesseshave had to completely shutdown."