Barbara Ann Rogers, 61, was shopping for stationery, aware that others were watching.
She had waited in line for 15 minutes on a cold day to get into a tiny Brooklyn stationery shop, which had capped capacity at just one customer as a coronavirus safety precaution. Now she was the store’s sole customer, examining racks of pens and notebooks, conscious of others still lined up outside in their winter coats, peering within.
After 10 minutes, she made a small purchase and exited. “I just wanted a new notebook,” says Ms. Rogers, a real-estate broker, adding that she felt a little stressed to be keeping others waiting.
Many Americans have experienced lines this year at the grocery store or while awaiting Covid tests. But particularly during the holidays—and as capacity limits have tightened—lines are popping up all over. In some cases, especially at small businesses, that has made the experience feel akin to shopping in a fishbowl. In others, it has meant lines outside certain establishments—the hardware store, the gym—that were once the province of trendy bars or restaurants.
As cases rise across the country, many cities and states are permitting retail operations to remain open, but with reduced capacity. Last month, for example, Philadelphia required stores to operate with a maximum density of 5 customers per 1,000 square feet. In California, new regulations this month capped capacity for nongrocery retailers in regions badly hit by Covid at 20%.
