PLANO, Texas: At Home Group Inc., the home décor superstore, provided a business update regarding its store re-opening plan and enhanced safety, cleaning and sanitization protocols.
Lee Bird, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer stated, “The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged our teams to quickly adapt our operations to ensure the safety and well-being of our team members, customers and communities as well as the long-term health of our business. As we continually monitor updates to local and state ordinances, At Home is gradually re-opening stores with approximately half of our stores expected to be fully open to foot traffic on May 1. I am pleased that as we reopen stores, we are able to reinstate a portion of our previously furloughed store team members. To protect our associates and guests, we have implemented enhanced safety, cleaning and sanitization protocols consistent with recommendations from local, state and public health officials.”
Store Re-Opening Plan
At Home is gradually re-opening stores, as permitted by local and state regulations:
- Approximately 50% of At Home stores are expected to be fully open to foot traffic as of May 1.
- Of the stores that remain closed to foot traffic, approximately 70 stores offer curbside pickup and/or contactless next-day local delivery, as permitted by local mandates.
- More than 180 stores, or over 80% of the store base, now have buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS) capabilities.
- Continuing to closely adhere to local and state ordinances as it evaluates its re-opening plan.
Enhanced Safety, Cleaning and Sanitization Protocols
In addition to upholding At Home’s previous high standards for store cleanliness, the company has added several additional measures to ensure the health and safety of its associates and guests as it reopens stores:
- Following local guidelines to restrict the number of customers allowed in stores at one time.
- Adding enhanced sanitization protocols, including routinely disinfecting high-touch areas such as shopping carts, credit card readers and checkout areas.
- Instituting use of face masks for associates and customers as dictated by local guidelines.
- Adding in-store signage to further promote social distancing, including designating one-way traffic aisles and placing reminders throughout stores to maintain a distance of “two carts apart.”
- Placing spacing indicators 10 feet apart for check-out lines and registers and, where we are able to, installing plexiglass barriers at registers.
- Requiring team members to adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines on handwashing and self-quarantining, including staying home if they are not feeling well.