Extra time at home leads to rise in gardening and home improvement projects in Kamloops

“Definitely a lot of new gardeners. And everybody is trying to work through this new normal, if you want to call it that,” Hik says. “Definitely lots of interest in vegetable gardens, or people with balconies wanting to plant their own vegetables and that type of thing — that’s definitely peaked.”

Garden centre staff has noticed more people wanting to try growing their own food, or enhance existing gardens in their yards. Hik has some suggestions for people looking to start their own produce growing.

“So fruit trees you can do, any of your cold crops — so kale, lettuce, spinach, all those kind of things you can go and plant as well now. Either as seeds or as plants themselves. And then right now you can go in and start in your garden carrots, onions, potatoes if you’re down low, you can seed those directly into your yard for sure.”

Another aspect of yard improvement has been given attention — Home Hardware in Kamloops has seen a steady flow of customers looking to tackle projects.

Owner Rick Kurzac says the No. 1 spike in sales they’ve seen has been in the paint department, and he figures that is driven by the do-it-yourself aspect of the work.

“We’ve seen a big spike in paint, flooring is another one, and this past weekend, the decks are starting, and the fences are starting,” Kurzac notes. “And what a great way to occupy your time, to actually get some things done. While you’re either under self-quarantine, or just waiting for this to move its way through.”

Along with limits on the amount of people allowed in the store at one time, Home Hardware has changed the way customers shop. A hand washing station is set-up out front, barriers between cashiers and customers have been installed, staff guide customers to specific items, along with curbside order pick-up, and free deliveries to vulnerable populations.

“Because of some of the innovative things that our staff have come up with, we’re actually able to put pretty much the same amount of customers through in a day than we were before. But remembering before, people would spend 15 to 20 minutes in the store looking, and we’re really trying to streamline that,” Kurzac explains, noting that they’ve moved to a concierge-style service. “We’re actually moving the volume of customers through really nicely, and people aren’t sitting outside in a line up for 20 or 30 minutes. And I think that’s really been our success. We’ve been getting some really positive feedback from customers.”

As the weather warms up, garden and hardware centres are preparing for a steady stream of customer inquiries, and ask that people utilize the physical distancing options, and use patience as staff navigate the new way of operating.

“It’s a different way of doing business today than it was a month, or two months ago, and we’re adapting,” Kurzac says. “And I’m really proud of our community in the way they’ve adapted, and the way they’ve really started supporting local businesses, and keeping everything local.”

To contact Home Hardware, click here.

For Art Knapp contact information, and web access, click here.

by Dylana Kneeshaw

Extra time at home leads to rise in gardening and home improvement projects in Kamloops

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