Ferndale quickly finds its ‘happy place‘ amid Stage 2 of COVID-19 reopening

This is one in a series looking at Whatcom County business districts as they reopen in Phase 2 of the new coronavirus Safe Start program.

Leave it to Dane Thorpe, manager of The Locker Room, to come up with an apt comparison regarding the facility’s reopening to the Ferndale fitness community.

“It’s the best kind of teamwork there is,” said the former Sehome High School basketball star. “It’s more like a drawn-out excitement (compared to the thrills of a game). It’s more meaningful. It impacts the entire community.”

After being closed since March 16, The Locker Room reopened Tuesday, June 9, at 30% capacity for Phase 2 of the governor’s Safe Start plan to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That means we can have 39 people working out at one time (the capacity is 130),” said Thorpe, noting the stress on safety. “Workouts are by appointment and are done with social distancing. There is no use of showers, saunas, lockers and drinking fountains.”

Thorpe has noticed how most Ferndale small businesses are coming back as they have reopened.

“This is a very strong community,” said Thorpe.

‘Great gangbusters’

Borthwick Jewelry in the Ferndale Market Center reopened for full service Friday, June 5 and “business is going great gangbusters,” employee Katrina Ramsey said.

Tom Borthwick opened the business in 1977 and it’s a perennial champion in business polls.

“We have hand sanitizer everywhere,” Ramsey said. And social distancing is achieved at Borthwick with a limit of six customers at one time.

Nearby, Bello Beauty reopened Monday, June 8, on an appointment basis, following the rules of Phase 2, aesthetician Brooklyn Wulf noted.

“We’re in a happy place,” she said, observing how pleased customers are to get their hair done by an expert. “Our clients are thrilled.”

Close by, reopening at Instyle Nail and Spa was particularly special for manager Lin Cao.

“We opened last September but we had to close in March,” she said.

Business is by appointment only.

Also at the Market Center, Beyond Tan, a tanning and hair salon, reopened Monday on an appointment basis.

Owner Tiffany Moreau stressed what the reopening means as business picks up day-by-day “We try to make our customers feel as comfortable as possible and we want to be very transparent about everything.”

Service since 1909

Cedars Restaurant, one of several Main Street area eateries that has reopened, has been in service since 1909.

“People were really excited to come back,” said server Erin Crayton. “They’re happy to be together.”

Like all restaurants in Phase Two, Cedars is operating at 50% capacity.

One block off Main Street, Chihuahua’s Family Mexican Restaurant, is back and doing well, employees said.

Near Chihauhau’s, D&D Insurance, owned by Derek and Denise Barnes, still had its agents working from home but it was easy to get information. There’s a sign on the front door providing any directions a client could want.

Likewise, the Lucky Lady Tattoo Parlor posts a complete sign on the front door about appointments.

Treasure at Etta’s Attic

Sharon Quast, the owner of the Main Street antique mall Etta’s Attic, was still thrilled Thursday that she had helped a customer find something special after Tuesday’s reopening.

“It was a set of six Sandwich Glasses from the Tiara Company in the 1940s,” she said. “I love that part of my job — helping a customer,” she said while helping a customer try to find something she had spotted before the March closure. “My husband’s happy I’m back at work because he knows how much I love it.”

The mall features an extensive display of glass and jewelry and displays the wares of 11 dealers.

Quast asks customers to wear masks, practice distancing, and use the hand sanitizer that is readily available.