CLEARWATER, Fla. — Safer at home orders are now, or will soon be, in effect for large parts of the Tampa Bay area.
The important public health move can mean a huge financial struggle for local businesses. Here at ABC Action News, "We’re Open" to helping small businesses make it through this challenging time, and "We’re Open" to new ideas here in the bay area.
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Today, we’re showcasing a place to find some of the grocery essentials you have been looking for.
Eurostar ZM in Clearwater is a local European food market and bakery who wants to tell you, “we’re open."
“Most of our products are from Europe. Some of them, like the smoked and dry meat, are made in the USA by European people,” said Zoran Mrkela, Owner of Eurostar ZM.
They may not carry toilet paper, but they’ve got just about everything else on your shopping list. Freezers full of meat, shelves stocked with canned food, cheeses from several different countries, packages of water and plenty of other things.
“We just have more stock, like double inventory, especially for the hot items,” said Mrkela.
The store is run solely by Zoran and his wife. They’re busier than ever, but they’re keeping up.
“The average ticket was like $30-$40, now we’re seeing it’s over $100. People go like triple, if they buy two or three pâtés, to just have at home for a quick breakfast, they’re buying 10 they’re buying 20," he said.
Zoran is ordering extra product to stock shelves, and he’s also taking additional precautions to keep you safe while you shop.
“We tell them to stay distanced, to keep 6, and they will see if it’s crowded inside they will wait outside,” said Mrkela.
He’s urging everybody to step outside the big box and shop local.
“It’s a difficult time for all of us here but it’s maybe a good time to try something new and something different,” said Mrkela.
If you're a business owner or employee supporting our community, we want to hear from you.
Click here or reach out to us on social media because now more than ever, we all need to be open to new ideas and to helping each other.
