Businesses in Crown Street Mall are starting to see a steady increase in trade after a slow first week back from lockdown from October 11.
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Alex Filceski, of Alexander Michaels, said things were looking better every day and is expecting far more foot traffic in the mall as the weather warms up and Christmas approaches.
"It has gone well for us. We are back to normal takings," Mr Filceski said.
"The first week people were still a little hesitant but now they are deciding to just get on with it. It is going well for the store and I worked on Sunday for people who couldn't make it during regular hours. That was for a wedding in December."
Mr Filceski said many people who postponed weddings and other events during the 106-day lockdown were now locking everything back in.
"There are going to be weddings seven days a week so reception venues are going to be flat out," he said.
As far as retail is concerned Mr Filceski said it took about a month for trade to bounce back in 2020 but when it did business was very strong.
I think people just want to get on with life again
- Alex Filceski
With Christmas just 60 days away and the majority of the population now double vaccinated he expects that will happen more quickly in 2021.
Mr Filceski said customers were willingly using the QR code and providing vaccination confirmation and there had been no issues with that.
"I think people just want to get on with life again," he said.
Centretown Newsagency's Dennis Colla said the business was open all through lockdown so he was not seeing an increase in trade. But the mall was starting to get busy again.
He said hairdressing and beauty salons in particular were doing a roaring trade because their customers had been waiting so long for a haircut or beauty treatment.
Mr Colla said the fashion and jewellery retailers were also attracting attention.
Frolic Girls owner Kelly Kreilis said some fashion outlets had delayed reopening but she expected many would be back in business by the end of the month. She said the first week back was quieter than she expected.
"I am putting that down to maybe the bad weather. And some people really dislike all the checking in," she said.
"The second week was better. We had a little more sunshine. And with this week being the first week back at school for all students I think we will see a real turnaround. Especially with it being just 60 days to Christmas."
Ms Kreilis said she was fully stocked with the latest spring and summer fashions and with the warmer weather finally starting to arrive she felt things were finally starting to head in the right direction.
"We reopened in that really cold week and I just thought 'can't something finally go our way'," she said.
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
