I have been working at CocoRose Boutique, a clothing store in the Orange Plaza, since I was a freshman in 2018. This past year, however, has been wildly different than before. Courtney Colleary, my boss and owner of the shop, is one of the most amazing women I have ever met. She started CocoRose out of high school and has been running it ever since. On top of that, she cares so much for her community, customers and employees. She is everything a good boss should be.

When the pandemic hit, I could see the fear in Courtney’s face. She was uncertain of her future, financial stability and if the shop could even stay open. Around mid to late March, she sold her entire inventory just to make ends meet. At that point, no patrons were visiting the store; it was as if we were all frozen in time, confused about our next step. By May 2020, Courtney had to decide whether or not to close her doors permanently, only eight years after first opening.

She has not received a penny of government funding. She applied to countless grants and loans, and only on Feb. 4 did she receive a loan for $500 at 1% interest over 60 months. For reference, that doesn’t even cover a month’s electric bill at the store. 

During the pandemic, I have seen my boss, along with countless other small business owners, struggle and debate selling their property and passion. As such, I’ve shifted my practices to buy from boutiques instead of Amazon. That way, I feel as though I’m helping a person rather than a company.

Since the pandemic began, I’ve noticed a visible decrease in the number of people coming into the store and an even bigger decrease in the number purchasing items. I used to make sales left and right, but now I find myself having to convince people to buy a shirt.

Now, CocoRose only has about three employees. Pre-pandemic, it wasn’t uncommon to see the boutique bustling with life and energy at double that amount. It wasn’t until recently that Courtney was able to bring on another employee after the store significantly reduced its hours. Luckily, I am able to get tested frequently through Chapman University’s Student Health Center, providing a sense of comfort and security. 

At times, it can be scary to interact with the public right now. It requires putting trust in everyone who comes into the store that they have been safe, sanitized and serious about the pandemic. So far, we haven’t had any COVID-19 scares and have been able to keep our employees and customers safe.

On the bright side, it is so nice to see people’s faces light up when they find a flattering item that fits them perfectly. In days of such uncertainty and sadness, I can see customers finding joy in everyday things, no matter how small.

For the most part, people are respectful of mask and social distancing policies at the store. I’ve only had one person give me a hard time when I asked her to put a mask on. She told me, “I’m only coming in for a moment.” I repeated my request a couple more times before she put it on. Sometimes, customers will simply leave if I ask them to put on a mask, which is quite disappointing.

At the end of the day, keeping our customers safe is always the No. 1 priority. Finding them the perfect outfit is second.