When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Tim French was faced with the possibility his seasonal business would not open for the first time in a century.
“With COVID and social distancing, we needed to do a test run to see how well we could handle the new process and how it was received by customers,” said the owner of French’s Stand.
Any concerns he and his son, French’s Stand manager Pierson French, had about opening day were gone Friday, when about 20 people lined up 15 minutes before the business opened. Many were thanking them for getting back to business.
“That says to me the stand is a staple of summer and it’s a tradition for a lot of families,” Pierson said.
French’s, now in its 101st year of operation, usually opens for the season on the Victoria Day weekend, but the family waited it out this year as the pandemic and the resulting guidelines and restrictions evolved.
“We didn’t want to risk anything for staff and patrons alike,” Tim said.
Plexiglass has been set up at the stand, and there are markings to encourage physical distancing and a one-way flow of customers. Staff are equipped with face shields and are sticking to specific duties. For example, an employee handling cash is not preparing food.
The new measures were well received on the weekend.
“It worked really well,” Pierson said. “Everyone seemed to respond positively to what we did.”
Reopening was important not only to the owners, but to the staff. All of the employees are either secondary or post-secondary students.
“We want to make sure we give them a fair shot as well,” Pierson said.
While business was brisk on the weekend, there is uncertainty about how the rest of the season will go. French’s is located on Centennial Drive, just outside Couchiching Beach and Centennial parks, both of which usually host many festivals and events throughout the year. With large events like the Canada Day celebration and the Orillia Scottish Festival having been cancelled, “you sit back and wonder, ‘Who’s going to use the park?’” Pierson said.
Canada Day is the busiest day of the year for the business. Staff are decked out in red and white and serve what seems like a never-ending lineup of customers. Despite this year’s festivities being called off, French’s will still be there to celebrate.
“No matter what’s happening in the park, we’ll be open,” Pierson said.
French’s is usually open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. With each employee focusing on one aspect of the business, its hours this year have been reduced. It is open Friday, Sunday and Monday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
“That’s just until we figure out how it’s going,” Pierson said. “We want to go back to regular hours. As long as the customers are around, we’re ready.”
