The Strawberry Sampler

Shopping in a Covid world! Wow. We have learned a lot in the last 8 weeks & y'all have helped us tremendously. We have been able to loosen up our appointment only restrictions, but we will continue to limit the number of people in the shop. In reality, the only thing that's changed is you don't have to make an appointment to shop or to pick up orders or framing.

Below are the guidelines for coming in. We thank you in advance for following these:

* We are keeping track of who comes in, what time you were in & out, in case we are ever notified that someone has been in who has tested positive. This way, we can very quickly determine who would have been in at the same time.

* We are loving seeing everyone's pieces that they're framing!! Because we dedicate our time to just one person (YOU!), we need you to continue to make an appointment if you are coming in to do framing or finishing.

* For "just shopping", we believe we have gotten past the rush! We will continue to limit the number of customers in the shop to 5. So if you are coming with a friend or 2 (or 3!), PLEASE DO let us know ahead of time if you possibly can. Other than that, we are no REQUIRING an appointment just for shopping. However, if we get to where we have 5 customers in the shop, you will see our "FULL" sign in the window & the door will be locked. Don't panic! Just have a seat in one of the rockers (or in your car!) & as soon as someone leaves, we'll take down the sign & unlock the door!

A word about email: PLEASE GO, RIGHT NOW, to you email program & open your contacts file. In that file, please add: shop@strawberrysampler.com & newsbounce@strawberrysampler.com.

Here are the suggestions for our reopening.

* If you know prefer to "drive by" & not come into the shop, we'll be happy to make it happen. Just place your order online & we'll contact you when it's ready for your pickup.

* If you want to come in the shop, HOORAY! We can't wait to see you! It's gonna be bugger hard to not hug everyone, but we'll do our best.

There are a few rules, based on statewide & CDC recommendations, and exceptions will not be extended.

1. Only 5 stitchers will be allowed in the shop at a time. Please just maintain social distancing. We simply ask that if someone is pulling DMC, wait until they're done; if someone is in the new section, maybe check for any fabric you'd like.

2. YOU WILL HAVE TO WEAR A MASK! I repeat, YOU WILL HAVE TO WEAR A MASK! Your mask needs to cover your nose & your mouth. If your phone rings, you have 2 choices: ignore it until you're finished shopping (always my choice!) or step outside. Don't take your mask off in the shop to talk on the phone. If you find that you get to the shop without a mask (we get it, it's happened to each of us), we will have some there.

3. There will be hand sanitizer at the door when you come in. Please use it. There will also be more at the register, in the framing section & probably many other spots. Please avail yourself of it.

PLEASE NOTE: Make sure you have added our email address (shop@strawberrysampler.com) in your Contacts list, so you can make sure you receive our confirmation.

If you have trouble with emailing, then give us a call. Please keep in mind, if the shop is full, we may not be able to get to the phone right away ~ we have had many times on many days where there were 4 of us working & all 4 of us were helping stitchers. So if we don't answer, wait 5 minutes & call us back. We will be there! If we are not there, you will get the answering machine. DO NOT leave a voicemail ~ PLEASE!

We are NOT accepting any more framing or finishing until the New Year. We are swamped!

Please bear with us while we figure out this new normal. It is November & Covid is spiking again! We are absolutely committed to keeping you safe & healthy. We know that many of us fall into that "susceptible" category in one way or another, and of course these days, I think everyone is susceptible.

This will be a fluid situation ~ as we continue forward, we will make changes that need to be changed ~ that may relax some of these rules, or it may change them in some way. Changes will always be posted on the front page of the website.

Okay! Stopping now ~ there WILL be changes, of that I'm sure!

Hugs (from a distance) & stitches ~

Beth & the welcoming commitee at TSS