The Queenston-Lewiston Duty Free Store had an ideal location for walk-in business.
With non-stop traffic between Niagara and the U.S, they can always count on customers passing by to make deals on commodities like alcohol, tobacco and perfume no matter the time of year.
Now the store lights are off and the aisles gape empty in the store.
“Imagine running a Starbucks and all of a sudden the surrounding streets shut down. That’s what this is like. It is extremely concerning,” said owner Chris Foster who runs the store, one of 33 Canadian land-border duty free shops.
When the Queenston-Lewiston bridge between Niagara Falls and the U.S.A closed for non-essential travel, 95 percent of the customer base was ripped away in a New York-minute.
However, long-haul truckers moving essential goods across the country still came in to stock up on drinks and smokes - but as time went on fewer came in after being asked to not make any unneccesary stops along the road.
With no other option in sight than to temporarily close, the roughly 50 employees have been laid off as the management, a family affair, keeps keen eyes on every move made by the government to be able to help out their workers as soon as things clear up.
“We are in constant contact with our staff, calling them regularly and making sure them and their families are okay, and that they are not having any issues with the subsidy programs, things like that,” said Foster, noting that they come from a range of different communities around the border.
But while the Canadian curve seems to be flattening thanks to social distancing and plans on re-opening the economy is starting to come out of some provinces like Saskatchewan, border trade also has to worry about how their neighbour to the south handles infections.
Currently, New York State has 263,000 cases among their 19.4 million residents, while the Canadian total is 43,500.
“The impact for us is really felt the hardest on the U.S side, and I can’t see our government opening up the border to a place that is a mess and does not have control,” he continued.
Fears are that traffic will be diminished for a long time as the tourism industry, a big business driver in Niagara Falls, struggles amidst a greater hesitance to travel once restrictions lift.
Chis Foster says it would be devastating for commerce in Niagara if they would have to shut down for an extended period of time.
Something he is not sure will happen yet, but at the same time a scenario that is nagging in the back of his head as he watches the daily news briefings from Canada and the U.S.
“We are a small business but a major supporter of our communities, through multiple charities and Fort Eerie where we live. We try as hard we can to look at every possible solution right now.”
