UPDATE ON BIB N' TUCKER

We are still closed because I will be having surgery on May 13 .  We will try and monitor email queries but I can’t promise how long it will take to respond.   Just so you know, there is no elastic, twill tape, or bias tape - we have never stocked any.  What little non woven interfacing we had, is sold out.

Other sold out items:  Kona white and Navy, Steam a seam lite and regular, 45mm blades, Aurifil thread in white, light cream, light and medium grey, air and water erase markers, almost all Hobbs 80/20 batting (there is a small amount of the 108” black).  We still have Hobbs PolyDown, a few crib batts Tuscany 100% cotton, and maybe 1 king sized Hobbs wool .  We also have quite a bit of Pellon Legacy 80/20  90”.  

The staff and I are currently having a group email discussion regarding the provincial guidelines for reopening and how, if and when we might be ready to give it a try.

Some of the things we are dealing with:

As you know , besides our great selection of Batiks, we are known for the great help that my knowledgeable staff offer.  Essentially personal service- except we can’t function from behind plexiglas barriers at a great distance from those needing help.  Many bolts get handled in order to find just what is needed- and sanitizing bolts before re-shelving would be impossible.  No one shops with just their eyes!

A trip to Bib n Tucker will never be like a trip to the grocery store where an item is selected and placed in a cart.

Adequate staffing is a real concern.  A number of my staff will not be able to return due to serious health concerns in their households, others have made other commitments during our closure.  Some of the staff are ready to return under the right conditions and perhaps even work a bit more for a short while.  Unfortunately I can’t schedule myself as one of the two needed at all times in the shop as my twice cancelled surgery is hopefully going to get done on May 13 .  This surgery is to finish what was unsuccessfully attempted in February. 

We have to establish how many customers can be in the shop at one time, and for how long.  Are customers willing to keep the social distancing prescribed? Mask wearing will be compulsory - will that ruffle feathers?

We are already looking for a shop sized hand sanitizer supply ( I ended up in emergency twice in the last week and they don’t allow gloves to come in- I am totally copying their policy (in fact I took a picture of their sign).  With any luck my daughter will score some from a brewery in Sooke (where she lives).  All I want for Mother’s Day!

INTERESTING SIDE NOTE:  The nice young male doctor (hey they are all young from my vantage point!) who did the procedure on my second visit has mother who lives in Victoria and is quite a quilter.  Ring any bells anyone?

I will let you know in another newsletter what decisions get made and what our reopening schedule be be.  We hope it will be around the beginning of June .

Hang in there everyone.  Stay healthy.