Detroit's Avenue of Fashion district adjusts to shopping's new normal

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The Avenue of Fashion's House of Morrison Shoe Repair - like so many local small businesses - decided to get ready for the new normal after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Safer at Home order.

Now with businesses opening up under some relaxed rules, they are proceeding with caution.

"Me and my family PPEd the place," said Ronda Morrison, House of Morrison Shoe Repair.  "Since then, my family, we invested and put a buzzer on the door, so we can have only one person in at time." 

They also redesigned the lobby and put up partitions at the counter.

On Tuesday when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer allowed retail businesses to reopen under certain guidelines, Ronda Morrison says she's ready to have customers inside even if they are not fully prepared. 

"If our customers come in and do not have on gloves, I am giving them gloves," Morrison said.

A few storefronts away, the Tauntus Cosmetics Beauty Bar's owner is also excited to open her business to customers again - and is meeting them at the door to explain the Gov. Whitmer's guidelines.

"Welcome to Tauntus Cosmetics, when you come in, you have to wear a mask on," said owner Nadonya Muslim to a customer. "You have to stay six feet apart."

FOX 2 first met Muslim when Whitmer first issued the Safer at Home Order in March. After weeks of being closed and relying on online business, she said she has concerns.

"I'm fearful of how we're going to pay next month's rent," she said.

But as retail stores open their doors, some are concerned about keeping them open.

"To be honest I'm not really confident because not too many people are buying lip gloss," she said. "Some people are saying they can't see it anyway, so I'll just buy a mask."

This small business owner's dream is to sell lip gloss and lipstick, but with new guidelines offering up a new normal - the business is working to survive 

"Right now masks are the new lipsticks," said Muslim.