Items

• 
  April 18, 2020

  Paper Product Shortage

  A sign of the times. Here is the paper product aisle in a Stop and Shop in Staten Island.
• 
  May 2nd, 2020

  CVS in Lockdown

  The CVS on Armstrong and Arthur Kill Road requires masks and social distancing if you are shopping there.
• 
  May 2nd, 2020

  Wait Here

  Wait here. This was the story of Covid Life. We had to wait in specific spots, and not crowd registers until called on. This happened quite often, especially at the pharmacies!
• 
  May 1st 2020

  The New Normal

  The New Normal: People had to stand 6 feet apart when they went shopping. It caused a lot of problems. We also had to wear face masks which caused tension among guests.
• 
  April 8, 2020

  The New Normal on Staten Island

  Is this the new normal or will Staten Island go back to the way it was before the pandemic?
• 
  March 2020

  Unprecedented wiped-out store shelves

  As I remember now, around mid of March 2020 my undergrad school pushed all students and faculty to an immediate break while college administration had figured out the transforming in-person classes into online ones. Meanwhile, I was thrown into a new reality of Covid19 lockdown in NYC. As a part of it, there were empty shelves in supermarkets and grocery stores. On the first days of the officially declared lockdown, supermarkets became rapidly overcrowded by New York residents who had to rush to buy essential food supplies that could be preserved for a long time. The atmosphere of common panic at the beginning of the pandemic and lockdown seemed to be everywhere in New York. Hence, supermarket shelves naturally turned to be aisles with wiped-out shelves. Besides the essential foods, toilet paper and disinfection items (sanitizers and wipes) also run out with the speed of light. During the lockdown times, I remember challenges in finding these sanitizing wipes and sanitizers in the stores which were extremely needed. I made a joke once in my conversation with a store employee that I would have a time machine to travel to the recent past and buy all needed things and return. Supermarkets’ management decided to limit the sales items to avoid the absolute lack of necessary products in their stores. I could never imagine seeing such a lack of necessary food products in an economically advanced country like the US. In contrast, today and in pre-Covid times I did regularly head to do shopping in supermarkets, and I was able to view fully packed shelves and fridges with all types of various foods and products.
• 
  2022-07-05

  Masks optional for fully-vaccinated customers

  This is a sign I found outside a shoe store at Arizona Mills Mall. It says that masks are optional for fully-vaccinated customers. I didn't go in the store, so I don't know if they would check for vaccination status or not. From my experience with other places with similar signs, no employee has asked about my vaccination status before shopping. I could see this being enforced a year ago, but not now.
• 
  2022-05-23

  Face Mask Suggestion Sign at It's Sugar

  This is a sign on the front door of It's Sugar. It's Sugar is a chain candy store. Here, it is saying that those who have not been vaccinated should continue to wear a mask while inside the store. I went in there today, and no employee asked about my vaccination status, and the employees weren't masked. Arizona as a whole has been pretty light on COVID restrictions, but I imagine that other locations of this store might react differently.
• 
  2022-05-23

  Sneeze Guard in Target at Tempe Marketplace

  This is a sneeze guard seen at Target. This is a COVID-era restriction meant to prevent the spread of COVID. Even though most restrictions are gone, these are still up.
• 
  2022-05-23

  Sneeze Guard in Barnes & Noble at Tempe Marketplace

  This is a picture of a COVID-era restriction put in place at some stores. The store this was seen in was Barnes & Noble. Not pictured, but employees were also wearing masks in addition to the sneeze guards.
• 
  2022-05-12

  COVID sign outside LEGO store Arequipa, Peru

  This is a sign listing COVID precautions on the door of the LEGO store at Mall Aventura. The instructions ask people to make a line to come inside, social distance, not touch products, and that a maximum of two people per family enter the store. I like the image at the bottom of the LEGO characters wearing masks.
• 
  2022-05-10

  BA Oral History, 2022/05/11

  A student describes their experience working during the Covid-19 outbreak.
• 
  2020-09-17

  Pandemic Paradox

  A comic strip about Covid-19
• 
  2022-04-25

  Double masks and signs

  We are in Peru where it is winter. Most homes do not have central heat, so my partner bought an electric heater. Unfortunately, it did not work. I went with him to return it to Sodimac, and despite having one mask on- the man at the door checking IDs and vaccine cards told me to double mask. Inside, I took some photos of the signs regarding sanitized carts, checkout stations, and bathrooms.
• 
  2020-03-17

  An abundance of shortages

  On March 17, 2020, I went shopping for the first time since schools and facilities closed nationwide just four days earlier. Much to my dismay, upon entering my local Target, I noticed that shelves in every part of the store were empty, however, I specifically remember shortages of canned goods, paper towels, and tissue paper. I continued to shop and collect what I could, all the while wondering what else would be in short supply in the coming days. During this time, families across the nation (including mine) began to ration food and focus on purchasing essential items when they became available. In retrospect, the mass shortage not only demonstrated how the pandemic impacted all parts of life, but it also revealed how accustomed Americans are to having various items available in abundance, which I believe is sometimes taken for granted.
• 2020-03-29

  Eau de Sanitizer: A Home Fragrance

  The early days of quarantine were quiet and calm, as the streets around my home in Southern California were filled with silence since there were fewer cars and people roaming outdoors. Sanitizer and rubbing alcohol were in high demand, and in heavy rotation in our home, as everything that came in was wiped, sprayed, and cleaned before being put away. I remember coming home from the store and wiping down every item with alcohol and sanitizer, and I remember wiping down every counter, surface, and phone. Afterwards, the house was filled with the sharp and dismal aroma of rubbing alcohol, as the fragrance mimicked a well-diffused scented candle. The distinctive scent wafted throughout the living room and lingered within the walls, the drapes, and the furniture. It became the scent of March 2020, and a home fragrance which lacked the expected or traditional calming or soothing properties of a candle or diffuser that is placed in a room. Every outing resulted in rubbing alcohol-infused surroundings, which served as a constant reminder of the changing climate. Eau de Sanitizer recalled the uneasiness, fear, and chaotic shops of the early pandemic, as it was a fragrant reminder of the unknown. The memory of that spring is tied to the scent of rubbing alcohol, and now every time I light a candle in my living room I am reminded of those early days.
• 
  2021-08-10

  Street Art

  A friend of mine posted this photograph on social media
• 
  2021-06-23

  The mask

  Walking into the Store, looking around, oh no! I forgot my mask :/ -every person going into a store
• 
  2020-04

  Maple Street Biscuit Company

  Maple Street located in historic St. Augustine was deemed an essential business during the statewide quarantine. To help the community they sold extra toilet paper, cases of water and paper towels, which were out of stock at most grocery stores.
• 
  2020-07-14

  EarthBound Store

  Earthbound, located on Saint George Street in Saint Augustine, FL displayed several signs throughout their store. Outside they had signs that read: “Wearing a face mask is required for both your protection and ours.” And “To help us follow CDC guidelines, we're limiting the multiple entry points to this location. We are requesting only 15 people to occupy this store at a time.” Signs were also displayed in the store encouraging visitors to maintain a 6-foot distance from all other customers. Interview with crew member Bryce: What plan was created to ensure the safety of your guests? Our store was briefly closed during quarantine, since we were not considered an essential business. During reopening we all went through training to start sanitizing all of our areas that people would touch in the store. Do your employees currently receive hazard pay? No How has your business changed since COVID? We are limiting how many people can enter the store at a time, other than that nothing has changed that much. If you are a restaurant did you implement take out or curbside, and how did that go? We are not a restaurant. What steps did you have to take in order to comply with local and federal government orders? All of out crew members and customers have to wear masks. We are required to limit how many people enter our store, since it is small. We are not allowed to have any testers out for things such as makeup.
• 
  2020-07-27

  Ben and Jerry's

  Ben and Jerry's outside doors displayed lighthearted and creative signs encouraging guests to comply with local and federal social-distancing orders. The first stated: "We're sure your smile is lovely, but... masks must be worn in the shop." The second sign read: "Please follow the cow markers on the floor" and showed a picture of cows standing six feet apart.
• 
  2021-03-17

  A Day at Macy's Inc. During a Worldwide Pandemic

  As my primary source I chose a picture that I took on March 17, 2021 at 8:39pm, it was the end of my shift in my retail job. This picture was taken one year later since they first closed down the city. I work in Macy’s Inc. at Bay Plaza, and the store was closed during the pandemic until the end of June. When the store first reopened, big crowds of people came to the store every single day without caring about the pandemic. It is understandable that all they wanted was to shop, and also get out of their houses to distract themselves. This picture is just a small representation of what retail workers have to deal with during times like this. It got to a point, where it was very frustrating seen so many people at the store walking around trying to shop. Many people did not care about the 6ft social distancing, and others did not want to wear a mask because it was too hot, or they couldn’t breathe. There was a limit of 600 people in the whole store, but in days like this I know for sure that it was more than that. The women shoes department was always full of people, there was always a long line, people were right next to each other, and others were screaming or talking too loudly. People were getting into arguments with each other, many were getting frustrated because they wanted to get a shoe size right away. Others were just sitting on the couch sleeping, you could hear babies crying, and kids running or playing around dropping shoes on the floor. I remember I was in the register during my whole shift taking customer after customer, some were really nice but others very rude. As my job, I have to ask every customer if they want to open a Macy’s credit card with us, but their answer was always, “I can’t afford it, this virus has made me broke” yet, they were still out shopping. On this day, I had a disagreement with a customer because I told her to put her mask on about 3 times, and she just ignored me. She then, approaches me to pay for a shirt, and I told her very kindly once again, “can you please put your mask on? Thank you!”. Her reaction was priceless because she was furious and asked me if it wasn’t enough with the plexiglass that was between us, I felt very frustrated because she didn’t seem to understand how serious this virus is. I told her no, and refuse to ring her out she then, proceeded to another register very furious and still with no mask on. We are not essential workers but working in a retail store during this pandemic has been very overwhelming. The company benefits from all of this because they reach their sales goals every day. When I think about it, we as employees should be happy that there are sales because it means the store won’t close down, and we can keep our jobs. The customers do not seem to have any type of consideration for any of us as retail workers. It upsets me because now more than ever, everyone should be thankful for still being alive after what we just went through this whole year. We need to appreciate each other, and respect one another because we don’t know what everyone is going through. Always be kind to everyone!
• 
  2020-03-17

  Nobody's Home

  This article shows and talks about how empty downtown Naperville was once lockdown began. This was from very early on, last March, so it was super strange seeing what's normally a super busy place, with people going every which way, so empty.
• 
  2020-05-30

  Civil Discourse During A Pandemic

  I assume like many New Yorkers, March 13th through 18th was when things really changed. It did for me on the 15th of March 2020 or the ides of March as I like to remember it. My store shut down for what seemed like 2 weeks. Of course, soon I would be given the news we would be shut down completely. I already knew where things were going, at the time I worked at an Asian restaurant, so I was hearing many of the conversations about China then. But I could not have predicted what would happen next. As slow and dreadful as 2020 was, things were moving at lightning speed for the situation we experienced. It felt like every few days something new would arise and test our nation. I selected these pictures because it shows how tired everyone is, the blank faces of people who are following orders, while the other side expresses their hardships all the while wearing masks, the bane of 2020. I want the historian of the future to know that no matter the situation at hand, many of us will still protest for what was wrong even if they got sick. It didn’t matter because we needed to send a message. The two images that you see in the beginning were taken by my friend, Emilio Lopez, who documented the protests, riots, and clashes between police in the summer of 2020. I did not go to the early protests because of covid and the violence/looting wasn’t the things I wanted to be a part of. I remember face-timing my friend to make sure if he was alright as I did not go with him. What he described to me that was happening in the parts of Fordham, and Union Square areas. Emilio had said many of the protesters were young men who were bored of the lockdowns and needed to do something exciting. There were fires, baton exchanges with the cops, and then the looting started. It all got a little too ugly for the whole week of George Floyd protests in New York. One of my close friend’s stores in Fordham was destroyed as a result. The images were taken right before things took a violent turn at Union Square. Where many of my friends were tear-gassed and beaten by cops to disperse when the first lockdown was getting implemented. Those two images, I feel like the body language of the subjects conveys how I felt about the lockdowns, the social injustice, in general about 2020. These were the first few weeks of protests that took place in the wake of George Fyold murder. I was shocked and scared when the masses went on to the streets because of the sheer amount while the pandemic was still going on. I hope the historians of the future can understand us even if they have to go through a cluster of memes from this era, real pictures with real human emotions will always speak louder I believe, and that civil rights in this country still have ways to go.
• 
  2020-03-12

  The Beginning

  The picture that I uploaded was taken on March 12, 2020. This was the very start of the pandemic and stores were packed and peoples carts were al full. This picture represents the panic that was occurring and the unknown of how long the lockdown would be.
• 2021-01-20

  Rules I have to follow

  The rules that came with Covid are very different than normal life. It is considered lucky to get into a store in less than 5 minuted because of the lines. They only allow a certain amount of people in a store and you have to wear a mask at all times. Even when we are in a drive thru we still have to wear a mask. Wearing a mask is terrible. It's always itchy and you can't breathe.
• 2021-01-20

  Covid Rules

  Some of the many rules for Covid is that you have to wear masks at places. I personally think masks are bad/useless because you can't breath, they give me headaches, and they don't really help. Also, they should not be forcing people to wear them and should be glad when people are wearing them and not complain about it being over their nose. Another rule that some stores have is that they limit the number of people that can go into a store. Honestly, this is just kinda pointless and makes doing something take much longer than it needs to be. Some thing people also do is social distance and use hand sanitizer, which is gross and really bad for your hands. Overall, I think these rules are unnecessary and should not be forced.
• 
  2020-06-02

  Store owner stares at aftermath of looting

  A store owner stares at the wreckage the looters caused in her store as she cleans up.
• 
  2020-06-02

  Spray Paint on the wood boarding up stores on Fordham Road

  The Spray paint on the boarding wood exemplifies the movement behind the June Protests and shows the creativity of protesters using a canvas created to supposedly protect the store from the looters hidden among the protestors.
• 2020-11

  Working in a pandemic

  This shows how it can be difficult to remember all the changes the pandemic has created. People forget things, like the new one way aisles. Not everyone has malicious intent when it comes to the pandemic. One way aisles were created in stores and such to allow for social distancing in the aisles. This is probably one of the most ignored new guidelines, but at least the effort is there. As long as people try their best to follow these guidelines it is important not to judge people to hard. It seems this generation tends to want to judge people for forgetting to follow some of these guidelines, but everyone is learning together. People should not take all of this to heart. It can be difficult to check if there is an arrow, especially since not all stores use them.
• 
  2020-11-29

  Covid-19 Crises

  I chose the photograph of a closed store sign because during this pandemic a lot was changed due to the given circumstances. At the beginning of Covid, everything was closed that was not essentials, due to that I stayed without a job. I was unemployed and was receiving no alternative sources of income. This was scary to think about as there were bills that had to be payed and working at a new job could have put you at risk of catching this newly formed infection. Going to the stores that were open were also a different and frightening experience, there were so many people not social distancing at the grocery stores and etc who were not even wearing masks or using gloves that it was putting yourself in danger just for going out to buy the basics needed for living. Now a few months later, more places are opening but the question is, is this a good or a bad thing? I am now reemployeed, but I am getting paid the same as I used to even though I am risking my life each and every day coming in contact with hundreds of people a day, cleaning restrooms and making sure im well protected at all times. Still nothing can go back to normal, people cannot just go to the fair or the movies or skating as they could before this part of soon to be history because of its risks. It is important to stay safe and to continue to push through these times so that one does not just become a statistic in a book of the many of millions that have died during theses times due to Covid-19.
• 
  2020-11-08

  Lines at the stores in the mall during Covid 19

  Sunday Morning at the mall. Due to limit number of customers at the stores, the lines to get in are very long.
• 
  09/20/2020

  Andrew Small Oral History, 2020/09/20

  This interview shares the early-on Covid-19 quarantine experience of Andrew Small, a second-year Asian studies major at Northeastern University. Andrew talks about where he was in the middle of March when universities started to shut down and send their students home, where he went, how quarantine and at-home learning affected his first year at Northeastern and touches upon what his reaction to how the state of Maine and how America responded to the pandemic. He also speaks briefly on how he thinks this will affect the future actions of Americans and what the pandemic has revealed about America. This interview was conducted as an assignment for HIST 1215: Origins of Today, instructed by Molly Nebiolo.
• 2020-05-18

  the line

  I went to go and get groceries for my family. I pull into the parking lot and I see a line. I have never before seen a line like this to get into a supermarket. The line was stretching all the way down the side of the store and into the parking lot. I got in line. The line moved faster than I thought but it was still really hot outside and I had to wait for about 15 minutes to get into the store. The reason there was such a big line was because of the limit for the amount of people in the store and the social distancing.
• 2020-07-16

  What it’s like going to the store int eh Covid-19 pandemic

  One good example of a story is going to the store. In order to enter you have to wear a mask. When you get in the employees tell you that your cart has been sanitized and you start to shop. All aisles have arrows on the ground that you are supposed to follow. Some people like me try to avoid people while walking through the store. The checkout process is a bit different because almost all checkout lines that employees checkout your groceries for you are closed so you are forced to use the self checkout. You can use money or credit cards but since money is passed around between multiple people I don’t really like to touch it. Now we just pickup our groceries outside the store though. The meme I submitted I thought it was funny and it’s gonna be really weird to explain everything to future generations.I also submitted some games that I have been playing recently. Fall guys is currently relevant and it’s probably viewed as a pretty old game or, most likely, people have completely forgot about it. Portal is currently 9 years old and most people don’t know or care about the game but it’s my favorite game of all time. It’s also underrated. The last of us series is also really good and sorta relevant still. Since the last of us part II is viewed as a realistic-looking game, I’m interested to see how graphics have evolved since then, if they have, which I imagine they did.
• 
  May 4, 2020

  Plague Journal, Day 52: Tale of the tip

  I'm keeping a Covid-19 journal. In the latest entry, I forget to tip a delivery man, try to rectify my error, fail. Or not:
• 
  2020-07-03

  Is This Real??

  A photograph of a Covid store. Possibly in Florida. At first when I saw it, I thought is this real? So much about this year feels unreal to me.
• 
  2020-04-23

  House of Hope Food Pantry Donations

  This Facebook post by House of Hope Food Pantry in Wakefield, Virginia showcases some of the donations made to the food pantry following the outbreak of Covid-19
• 
  2020-06-04

  Closed In

  The pandemic has brought up a lot of situations where people feel alone because they can't see their friends or go to the places they want. It has brought a feeling of constant claustrophobia within the walls of one's life. This has been something that has effected me because of all the restrictions you have to go to when just doing a normal thing like going to the grocery store. Everything has been so different and so procedural. It is a very bizarre feeling to do groceries and think about if one of the items you touched at the store could give you one of the most contagious and deadly diseases the last hundred years or more. During this times of extra precaution, it is always import to remember why people take this precautions and safety measures. As someone living with their parents after college being shut down, I need to always be exceedingly thorough when washing my hands and cleaning things as my mom has recently finished chemo and radiation. Life has been so different and so uniform without much change besides in the number of patients throughout the world.
• 
  2020-05-31

  Plexiglass Barriers Are Becoming the Norm for Businesses Re-Opening During COVID-19

  The photograph depicts two plexiglass barriers suspended over counters at a Domino gas station in Blanchard, Oklahoma. These barrier are suspended from wire chains connected to the ceiling. These barriers act as a "sneeze guard" much like similar system have placed in restaurants in the past. Much like CDC recommended social distancing, these barrier act to protect employees and customers while they stand closer than six feet for transactions. This particular barrier at Domino was installed specifically in response to COVID-19. Local businesses, such as Domino, Spencer's Grocery, Subway, and China House were just a few of thoes that had been observed with these plexiglass barriers installed since COVID-19. In addition, local state and federal government offices such as Gayla's Tag Agency and the Blanchard Post Office had made the transition to these plastic protective barriers as well. As many locations make the shift to re-opening, the plexiglass barrier has become a growing standard of how people do face-to-face business, even in rural communities. Personal story submitted for the Rural Voices collection. Contributed by Clinton P. Roberts, curatorial intern for Arizona State University, HST 580.
• 
  2020-04-08

  Appendix A Social Distancing Protocol

  The required Appendix A:Social Distancing Protocol for all food industries. This list is for my own Jamba Juice store and it is posted in the lobby for all customers to view. List contains all of the requirements and procedures to provide a safe environment instated by the California Department of Health.
• 
  2020-05-13

  The Life of an Essential Worker

  A personal allegory about my experiences working as an assistant manger at Jamba Juice. This talks about the rapid change in the workforce and how lit changed as I became an essential worker.
• 
  2020-04-17

  A Walk through Covid-19 Brooklyn (Nathan's Famous - Coney Island)

  Sign informing customers they must wear a face mask posted outside Nathan's Famous in Coney Island, Brooklyn.
• 
  2020-04-10

  Selfie of man wearing a bandana as a face mask to go grocery shopping - Quincy, MA

  Photograph of a man wearing a bandana as a protective face mask to grocery shop during the Covid19 outbreak.
• 
  2020-04-01

  Photograph of flower box contactless takeout pick-up-Warren Tavern-Charlestown, MA

  Photograph of flower box repurposed for contactless take-out during pandemic. Warren Tavern, Charlestown, MA.
• 
  2020-04-01

  Photograph of shuttered liquor store-Charlestown, MA

  Photograph of closed liquor store with notice about how to make purchases during quarantine
• 
  2020-05-08

  Social distancing sign at a sheepskin products shop

  A handwritten sign at a shop specialising in sheepskin products in Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia indicating that social distancing will be enforced within.
• 
  2020-04-09

  social distancing between customer and employee

  this image shows the impact of social distancing in stores and gas stations. employees place a shield in front of the cash registers to protect themselves. *photo taken april 9th at 2:03pm
• 
  2020-05-05

  Six Feet

  This week I witnessed a screaming match between 2 customers at the store because one person did not remain exactly 6 feet away from them. It makes me wonder if when things return to "normal" if people will suddenly want to be friendly again.
• 
  2020-04-01

  Laid off during COVID-19. [PRIVATE]

  This image shows how thousands of employees at Gap INC were furloughed due to the closing of all stores. Many of my coworkers have families to pay for and are now on unemployment. A screenshot of the general manager at my work informing us that we have all been furloughed. cshsecon