The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A hardware and lumber provider says it is “busted open at full throttle” after the Government determined that only lumber and concrete providers can remain open during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Anthony Roberts, general manager of City Lumber Yard, told Tribune Business on Friday: “At the moment we are busted open at full throttle. If there are more customers coming our way I am not sure when we can even handle any more people today. It’s been steady and quite of a line all day, and we met it here Friday morning.

“We almost had an altercation Friday. With people, it’s hot and the line is long, and you have to wait. Patience runs thin and tempers flare, but luckily it was sorted out, nothing other than just people arguing over their place in the line.”

The Government’s revised August 13, 2020, COVID-19 emergency powers orders only permit hardware stores that sell lumber and concrete to remain open, requiring all others to close.

Mr Roberts added: “To be honest, I’m not sure that with this reclassification that we are allowed to, but for City Lumber hardware is the smaller part of our business anyway. When they first opened in the first lockdown and they said hardware could open, they did not include lumber. We chose not to open because we didn’t do enough business to warrant us opening without the lumber.

“I have spoken with my colleague at JBR and we’re trying to get clarification. I know when AID was open to sell hardware, I’m sure they sold everything in the store from towels to automotive and what have you.

“Tops Lumber is in a similar situation where you can go over to Tops and buy sheets, so that is a good question. Are we opened out to sell hardwares? It’s not an issue for us so far because we don’t really do that much, and most of what we do is the big stuff - lumber, plywood and we sell the bags of cement.”

Mr Roberts added: “It’s really something that they have done in the tail-end of the two weeks to have reclassified it. We are doing the best we can to keep our staff safe, our customers safe and we’re trying to do right by whatever the law says. If our understanding is that we cannot sell tools then I will not sell a tool.

“But in the way of hardware and tools, if a man buys a door, he usually needs a hinge and a lock. If a man buys lumber and plywood, he normally needs roofing nails. With certain classifications it does get tricky, but most of the people I am aware of that sell lumber also sell paint. Well, is paint considered hardware or a building material? This is all open for interpretation.”

Mr Roberts stressed he is not trying to be a rule breaker and just wants to work within the guidance given to him by the Competent Authority. Other hardware stores contacted by Tribune Business, speaking on condition of anonymity, also said they were unsure what the instruction to sell only lumber and concrete meant, and whether tools and small hardware sales were prohibited.

Mr Roberts added: “For the most part, the people know what we are all up against, and people are civil and they know that when they get in the line they are going to be here a while. It makes no difference whether it was you who went to the food store.

“If you meet a long line then you know you are going to be outside waiting for about an hour or so just to get in, so for the most part people are patient. We’re trying to get them through as fast as we can.”

Mr Roberts also said: “Other than that the markets are crazy. Somebody at Th Tribune had an interview with my colleague over at Tops Lumber, where he said the market continues to rise in price on the cost of lumber. The markets continue to rage. Prices are going up every week. It is not hurricane threat-related, it is all to do with this whole COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns.”