Never have we experienced a time like this!  But then nobody else has either.  We're considered an "essential business" like other hardware and building supply type businesses so have remained open through March, April, May and now June.  Business has been phenomenal and we've been breaking records for sales and customer count.  Folks who are out of their jobs and stuck at home still have needs - life goes on.  If the toilet isn't working it needs to be fixed.  It's springtime and time to plant the garden.  It's a good time to paint the bedroom.  The lawnmower needs repair.  It's fishing season and the weather is perfect.  All of those things and more have contributed to our business and we're pleased to be here to help our customers through these times.   It's nice that we keep hearing "so glad that you're here for us" from our customers so I guess we are "essential".
     It has been a challenge!  The "supply chain" is broken.  Due to lay-offs and closures, manufacturers have fallen behind in supplying products.  Import of foreign goods has been interrupted.  Warehouses have fallen behind due to worker shortages.  Delivery services have been slowed by the same things.  All this while demand for products is up - way up!  Shortages started with toilet paper and paper towels and then grew to include all sorts of sanitation needs - gloves and masks and sanitizers.  Then shortages began in all sorts of other products including many of the things we regularly stock.  At present we have pages and pages of backordered items and we're doing our best to keep our shelves stocked. 
     It seems to be working out as manufacturing and distribution and deliveries catch up with the high demand.  We're starting to receive things that we've been out of since March. 
     All of this means that we're coming to appreciate just how "essential" Dunsmuir Hardware truly is and how our community depends on us to supply its needs.  We continue to have inquiries by people interested in our business for sale, but not as many as before all this.  And understandably there haven't been any offers to buy as potential buyers are holding back and waiting to see where this is all going.  We believe however, that this is an opportune time for a buyer.  The potential of our business is evident in the record breaking sales we're experiencing.  And predictions are that there will be a lot of folks looking for opportunities in small towns like ours to move away from urban centers.  Understandably!