Industry Reacts to New COVID Laws in California

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California new covid rules car stereo

As California issues retail restrictions due to COVID-19, and other states tighten COVID rules, retailers report mixed reactions.

In the case of California, retailers in several counties must limit store customers to 20 percent capacity.  Shops such as hair salons, barbers, restaurants (except takeout), bars, entertainment venues and more must shut down. The rule should extend to almost all of California by the end of the month.

Smaller 12 volt shops said they are not impacted by the new restrictions on occupancy because they only serve a few customers at a time.

Other shops, such as Mobileworks, Santa Maria, CA said customers are already used to waiting outside when necessary, and some wait outside when they see customers in the shop, on their own accord.  Owner George Smith said, “When we do get several customers, we do ask people to wait outside… in California, a lot of stores are doing that. If you go to Walmart, there’s a line outside and they are counting at the door. Grocery stores are doing the same thing.” So California consumers are used to capacity limitations, he said.

Bashir Assi of Car Audio Express, San Jose, CA, said, “It’s business as usual. We’ve been limiting this whole time to one or two customers at a time.”

Joe Ihmud, owner of Pacific Stereo said the shop monitors the number of people in the store at any time and it takes the temperature of customers before they walk in.

But, by shutting down bars, restaurant dining and many other services and entertainment venues, a large segment of the economy is out of work, which could mean slower business in the long run.

Chuck Allen Owner of Warehouse Car Stereo, San Joaquin county where the new regulations are in effect said,  “This is probably not a good thing. The last time around when we had this occur, we were dead for about a month and then it blew up for three months, then slowed down again.”  Allen pointed to several shops and restaurants near the store that had shut down. With so many businesses failing or constrained, will it affect customers coming in down the road, he asked. “Long term, it’s a bit spooky,” he said.

According to Governor Newsom’s office, the new California regulations do not call for any changes in manufacturing or warehousing.  Existing regulations may be found here.

Pioneer Electronics said, “Pioneer has been operating remotely since late March and does not foresee any disruptions to its operations under this new Stay at Home Order.”

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