How Carson City’s ‘essential’ local businesses are adapting to COVID-19 changes

While many of Carson City’s local businesses were mandated to shut down to help the rapid spread of COVID-19, some businesses were deemed to be essential under Governor Sisolak’s order; however, even those essential businesses have changed the way they do business to try and alleviate stresses on the health care system.

Some have changed their hours, such as Carson City’s Northern Nevada Appliance Outlet, which is now open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We are still considered an essential business as we are providing new appliances as well as service and delivery,” a business representative said. “We are taking every precaution necessary to keep our employees safe as well as continue to serve our community. We are not as crowded as the big box stores, so we feel we can control our situation a little easier and help our customers feel safe while still providing excellent pricing and service.”

Certain businesses are closing offices, while still providing service. Visiting Angels of Carson City, for example, are still providing all of their in-home personal care services as normal, but they’ve closed their admin office to the public to encourage social distancing.

“We are always vigilant with universal precautions due to our line of work, and have increased general awareness among staff and clients about staying safe and healthy,” according to a Visiting Angels employee. “Our in-home personal care services are a safe option for people who find themselves even more isolated than normal, but still need assistance with daily care and activities. Providing direct care for the health and safety of Nevadans is what we do, and is as important as ever with current conditions.”

Similarly, Fingerprinting Express which normally has services offered in Carson City, will be closing their Carson City office while keeping their Reno and Las Vegas locations open.

Others are turning completely to remote services, such as Brick and Mortar Properties, which focuses on property management and real estate sales. They are conducting all business by phone and video conference calling.

Some businesses are offering additional services for seniors during this time, since they are the most at risk for COVID-19 fatalities.

For example, Performance Auto Care in Carson City will do pick up and delivery of their vehicles so they don’t need to leave the house.

“For our elderly customers we are offering pick up and delivery of there vehicles so they can stay in their homes,” an employee said. “We are limiting the amount of personal contact with all of our customers without hindering getting people’s cars repaired because it is vital for people to have transportation. We have shifted our employee hours as best as we can to help with the lowered amount of business so that we can try to not have to lay off any employees. We are a family owned and operated business and our employees are family so we are doing everything we can to help them financially through all of this.”

Performance Auto Care’s hours have stayed the same, they said, which is Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

And some, such as PostNet and Postal Annex in Carson City, are staying relatively unchanged.

PostNet staff is offering accommodations to provide their services remotely or with reduced contact, said co-owner Lauren Chamberlain. Print orders may be placed online, via email, or over the phone, and completed projects can be shipped or delivered locally. Mail and package forwarding is available to private mailbox holders, and virtual mail services allow subscribers to preview mail via their smartphone and choose to have it held, discarded, forwarded, or scanned.

Similarly, Postal Annex has continued to operate its normal business hours.

Postal Annex we are deemed an "Essential Business" we are open regular business hours to serve our customers, said Co-owner James Musgrove.

“We are wiping down the store after each customer to ensure safety,” said Musgrove. “We are holding our head high as we all work through these new trying times. And we want to thank the Carson City community for continuing to support our location during these times.”

According to Ronni Hannaman, Executive Director of the Carson City Chamber of Commerce, restaurants are being hit extremely hard during the shut down, even though they are still allowed to be partially open.

"I am hearing from the restaurants that business is way down, even for take-out," said Hannaman. "Part of that could be because of the closure of many governmental offices who are working remotely. I just saw a study that has Nevadans seriously taken the social distancing edict to the max with our state only second to D.C. when it comes to staying close to home."

Are you a local business deemed essential? How has your business changed? Let us know below!