Madrid enters the 0.5 phase: more curious than customers, disinfectants and ‘steam’ at 90 degrees
Madrid no es Madrid, todavía. Pero este lunes, tras las mascarillas, se percibía cierta alegría. Están de vuelta las mercerías, las zapaterías, las lencerías… La fase 0,5 ha reabierto con diminutas y grandes colas en los tradicionales comercios de barrio, ya golpeados en los viejos tiempos, y hoy reconvertidos en pequeños reductos de la nueva era. Por reabrir, ha reabierto hasta El Corte Inglés de la Puerta del Sol. “Mira, El Corte Inglés está abierto”, comentaba un matrimonio. “Solo está abierta la primera planta y solo zapatos. Nada de bolsos ni nada”, explicaba el guardia de seguridad.
The joy in a well.The new normality is also the explanation of a guard before entering any trade."Over here, here"."Take, the mask"."Lush the gloves"."Here is the gel".What we do when leaving home is now done in any place of less than 400 square meters or those largest that limit its surface to that limit.The Community of Madrid starts a phase 0 on Monday with the relief measures announced by the Ministry of Health this Friday: businesses that can serve customers without the need for prior appointment and respecting a 30% limited capacity.
They have not reopened all, but the vast majority of shoe stores.Madrid has started its return through the feet."We really wanted".The Brazilian David Pallas, 47, is responsible for the mythical Brazilian flip store."There are no tourists.We don't have many people.Above all, curious ".The curiosity of the new times.Each store has its own liturgy.In Havaianas the new era is clear: if the client does not carry a mask, it is given.Then, gel will be thrown away and, whether, he will wander in search of his precious flip flops.What happens when trying them?The dependent that is with the client will give you some disposable socks that must be put during your stay.Then you will deposit them in a cardboard box."And then in the trash", explains Pallas.
Walking on the Gran Vía was rare, but now it's very rare.There are posters that announce that stores will reopen on March 26.There are stores that say they will not open until new order "for everyone's safety".There are businesses that do not stop cleaning the crystals to give more cleaning.The generalized slogan is very simple: they will enter if we are - or we seem - cleaner than ever.There are dependents, as in the Pull and Bear, who do not stop walking between the clothing halls because nobody wants new jeans.
Here the new era is also different.Buying will be weird until it seems weird.Beyond the mandatory ritual: gel, mask and disinfectant in the shoe sole, if a customer tests pants or a shirt and does not like, the employee will pick up these clothes and take it to a warehouse.There will be cleaned and 48 hours are intact."Then we already expose it again," says a saleswoman.Even when?It is even known.
Nor is there luck in Doña Manolita, which will remain closed, but in the street next door, in precious ones, where the lottery of The Hunchback of Luckily has reopened.To dream of being a millionaire, you don't have to enter with a mask.Anwar, a 31 -year -old Syrian who fled the war in 2013, has made a tail to play primitive."Always play at 4, 11 and 15".Will prove luck with the primitive and the Euromillion.The bonoloto, explains the clerk after a large glass screen, does not return until next week.
Mercerías are the new hygienic paper of the 0.5 phase.The centenary store of the Pontejos warehouse, three minutes at the foot of the sun, has reopened with three tails.For retirees, for young people and for those who had requested an appointment.Yes, in the new normality an appointment is requested to collect buttons and ribbons."It's all very rare," says Alicia Martínez, one of the managers.It's all so strange that when entering the door, Raquel receives you, one of the 13 dependents, as if it were a restaurant maitre.Raquel indicates to each client which partner will be treated: "Go there with Jesus," he says."With that we prevent ourselves from wandering around the store from one place to another".The star product?The rubber and zippers."Many homemade masks are being made".
In fact, more and more Madrid are seen with them.If a month ago it was rare to take it, now the strange thing is not to have it.There are colors, serigraphy, embroidered, white, black.In the store of the Casa de las Caracas, a whole boom a couple of years ago, the dependents have even their personalized."Today we have a mobile disinfectant and keys that we want to sell in the next few days at 29 euros," says Alejandra, 34 years old.
The phase halfway between zero and one also includes signs in shops with the capacity at the door, as if it were a disco."Maximum capacity 49 people"."7 people's capacity".Walking through the stores in the center without tourists is also another phase within the new phase."I have only sold a cap and a bracelet in Spain".In the number 13 of the Gran Vía is Luis Romero, who has reopened his souvenir of gifts at ten in the morning.Carries a chistasol in the hand."It's the only thing I do".
The Gospel will also be read this afternoon.This Monday the churches have reopened, but there is no holy water and peace, as indicated in a poster in the entrances, it will be done with a gesture, without specifying.Phase 0.5, to idle, is also this.
The luxury awakening
The gold mile of Madrid is gradually returning to life.Most stores on Ortega and Gasset street have the doors open to the public again and their shop windows already carry the summer collection.Rocío Pérez, a saleswoman of the Valentino boutique on Ortega y Gasset street offers their customers as soon as Gel, gloves and mask."At 11.00, we barely opened our first clients without prior appointment, ”says Pérez.
Security protocols are very strict.“Once a garment was used, they spray it with a disinfectant solution and pass the steam at 90 degrees.In addition, the article departs in a special area of the warehouse to stay in quarantine during, at least 24 hours before exposing it again, ”explains the boutique.
After 60 days of alarm status, the customers of the Valentino store what they wanted most was to buy shoes."It's something I would never ask for online," says a customer while putting some socks to try some moccasins.
There are still no clients full of bags yet.Only a few dare to break their confinement to release."My birthday is next week and I wanted to release a model for phase 1," says Sofía Bonnet at the start of the Celine store.
Raúl Cabrales, deputy director of Sales Department of the Celine store receives its first customers.It is the first day that they open the door to the public, since last week they could only attend by appointment and did not miss anyone who did not show the email of the confirmation of the appointment."Everyone has to enter with a mask and if they don't have here we give them one," explains Cabrales.
The feeling in the neighborhood is that all its customers are very excited and desire to buy again and thus renew their cabinets for the summer season."What they have bought most is clothes and our bags that are a must to return to the streets," says Cabrales.
On the street of Serrano leaves the Louis Vuitton Alba store, a teacher who teaches Chinese at a school in Getafe."I've come here because I don't have summer clothes," he explains while pointing his UGG winter boots."People have behaved very well with me and ask me a lot about the situation in China for the Coronavirus," he explains while the mask adjusts and continues their path full of bags in the hands.
Stores like Chanel have yet decided not to open to guarantee the safety of their customers.For now your products can only be purchased at your online store. Al igual que la tienda Dolce & Gabbana que tiene las persianas todavía entreabiertas.So far they are doing general clean.
The same thing happens in smaller stores such as the Brunello Cucinelli brand "we are waiting for us to go to phase 1 to be able to open to the public, we hope it is very soon," says a worker from the door.
José Miguel Rodríguez, encargado de ventas de la tienda de joyas Tiffany & Co, asegura que solo pueden recibir la misma cantidad de clientes que trabajadores tengan el día.In this case they can only attend six clients at the same time."Many clients interested in commitment rings have come that, when the confinement with their partner has decided to take the big step," says Rodríguez.
The gold mile is waking up little by little.The emotion for a new beginning feels in the environment.“All these entrepreneurs continue to fight, now more than ever, to gain the battle to the pandemic and resurface from this crisis, some of these establishments have designed their own reusable masks that are being an absolute success, such as those designed byThe goose that cost 4.95 euros and whose benefits will be destined for the María de Villota Foundation, ”says District 41 Barrio de Salamanca from the Association of Merchants.
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