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As soon as Gov. Kay Ivey gave the go-ahead for retail stores to re-open after 5 p.m. on Thursday, Juliette Adams, owner of The Pink Parlor in downtown Troy, was sitting on ready.”

When the Pink Parlor re-opened its doors for business on Friday morning, Adams was standing ready to greet her customers.

“I couldn’t wait to re-open,” she said. “I was anxious to get going again. I had been ready since the day we were told to close.”

Adams was prepared to make sure that every customer was comfortable in the knowledge that all the recommended safeguards from COVID-19 were in place.

“I met my customers at the door wearing a mask and gloves and I had free masks and gloves available for those who didn’t have them,” Adams said. “I don’t think any of the big box retail stores provide that protection for their customers.”

The Pink Parlor was arranged so that it was easy to stay socially distant.

“Everyone seemed very comfortable shopping and happy to have the opportunity and to just to be out and about,” Adams said.

For those who don’t  yet feel comfortable in the shopping environment, Adams is offering shopping by appointment at 807-1470,

“I’m happy to be back in the store and look forward to when every store around the square has reopened and it’s business as usual,”  Adams said.

And, that day might not be too far away, said Barbara Ward, owner of Rustic Linen on the square.

Ward opened her shop on Monday and had a “great day.”

“I was overwhelmed with the response and so appreciative of the support of our customers. Shopping was steady all day,” Ward said.

“Our customers were happy to be out shopping and seeing people and I was happy to be open. It really was a great day.”

A table had been set up at the front of the store with sanitizers and gloves available for the customers.

“Only one person came in wearing a mask but our customers seemed very comfortable just keeping their distance from other shoppers,” Ward said.

“Of course, we only had a small number of customers in the shop at one time so  distancing was no problem. There was no hugging friends and neighbors and that was different. But people seemed to be anxious to get life back to whatever normal will be now.”

Rustic Linen and  Family Ties will be open this week from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Future hours will be determined.

As for Sarah Kelley, owner of Posh & P Boutique, opening the door once again was exciting.

“The response to the re-opening was really good,” Kelley said. “We have launched a website and some of our customers were anxious to come in and try on items they had seen on line.’’

Kelly said her customers did not appear to have concerns about in-store shopping.

“We wore masks but our customers didn’t,” she said. “Everyone just seemed to be happy to be out shopping again.”

As for now, Posh & P Boutique will be open from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Several other stores around the square are open and others have plans to open. COVID-19 is dictating a new normal, but, as Ward said, shop owners are happy to be opening their doors and are most appreciative of the support of their customers.