KOCHI: Broadway is buzzing with activity as people throng the city’s commercial hub for eleventh-hour shopping ahead of school reopening. Parents, accompanied by children, visit Broadway and shops in various parts of the district to purchase school bags, pencil boxes, water bottles, sandals and essential hygiene supplies to prevent Covid-19.
“We bought items like mask, sanitizer and water bottles for my two daughters. We chose the items for individual use only so that they won’t share it with rest of the students in the classroom,” said Thasleema Faisal, a parent.
While some buy hygiene items in bulk quantity. “Though my class starts only on November 15, we had bought N95 mask in bulk. Today we came here to buy sanitizer in bulk. We are looking for sanitizer with mild smell and which does not cause skin problems,” says Class XI Aravind, who reached Broadway along with his mother Lakshmi.
Shopkeepers also say that the school opening has given some relief for their otherwise dull business. They hope that when more parents become ready to send their wards to schools in the coming days, the number of customers will go up.
“Business started to pick up in the past one week thanks to school reopening. Most of the customers buy bags in medium and low price range due to the pandemic impact,” said Salih K, manager of a shop selling bags.
Another shopowner said the demand is for small items like water bottles and rued customers for high-end products have shifted to shopping malls and e-commerce platforms.
“The family crowd started to show up after a long time. At least three people turn up at our shop every day for purchasing water bottle or tiffin box,” says Solomon Cheruvathoor, a shopowner at Broadway.
However, awfully social distancing norms were thrown to the wind inside and outside the shops. Most of the shops have very little space.
