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Articles in Category: Retail Operations

Store Best Practices For Social Distancing: In-Store & Appointment

Store Best Practices For Social Distancing: In-Store & Appointment

Note: Click here for important re-open guidelines, samples, and templates!

Retailers across Minnesota are implementing impressive measures to make shopping as safe as possible for customers & employees.

Click here to access the State COVID-19 Preparedness Plan (safety plan) template.
Click here for Q&A and updates to the State COVID-19 Preparedness Plan (safety plan).

To assist retailers, here is a collection of social distancing best practices:

  • Use signage at the door, throughout the store, & over your public address system to remind customers of 6 foot social distancing.
  • Evaluate your space and adjust customer flow accordingly.
  • Encourage use of curbside pickup & delivery.
  • At checkout (including self-checkout) & in areas of congestion mark out social distance spacing.
  • At checkout extend space between the cashier & customer with markings or a physical barrier.
  • If practical ask a customer's permission to touch their products or allow a customer to position products during check out.
  • Have employees make a special effort to engage customers to help them find products efficiently & remind them to practice social distancing.
  • Clean & disinfect high-touch surfaces regularly and make hand sanitizer & related products available to customers and employees.
  • Communicate your temporary policy on reusable bags to customers before they arrive at the store or at the door.
  • Thank customers and workers for their focus on safety.


Just added!

SAFE Retail

Target is sharing it's lessons learned and best practices to assist other retailers as they open up. Click here to view Target's S.A.F.E. Retail framework, including examples, templates and checklists.


Click here to download a PDF of this flyer.

StoreBestPacticesCOVID 19

Share your best practices at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and visit mnretail.org/covid-19 for more information.

Statement By Minnesota Retail Association President Bruce Nustad On Shakopee Gift Card Regulation Taking Effect Saturday, May 18, 2019

Shakopee retailers remove third-party gift cards from shelves amid graduation gift-giving over concerns the City ordinance conflicts with business partner agreements and raises the potential for a clerk to be cited with a misdemeanor crime

While the Shakopee Police Department has said it is not the intention of the City to issue citations this weekend, we take complying with the new law seriously. The reality is retailers were only given 11 days to implement changes and that simply isn’t enough time to train each and every employee, change point of sale systems, and re-write operating procedures to ensure the proper checks and balances exist. While retailers do check identification in some instances, there is no routine situation today where the name on a card is verified as the same on a valid government-issued identification.

Out of concern that front-line retail workers could be cited for breaking the law, a number of Shakopee retailers have removed third-party gift cards from their shelves. The last thing a retailer wants is any employee mistakenly selling a regulated card, which would be a violation of the law and be punishable as a misdemeanor.

In addition, as expressed to the Council at its May 7 meeting, the Shakopee ordinance may conflict with agreements between retailers and their business partners. Some retailers have removed cards from their shelves out of concern that the City’s action may lead to a breach of their agreements.

These cards are an important convenience to customers, especially as Minnesotans celebrate graduations and other special occasions this time of year. We hope retailers can get these cards back on their shelves soon, but the City has put some retailers in the position where that won’t happen until there is no risk to employees or liability with their business partners.

Retailers in Shakopee have taken steps to reduce fraud, including moving cards and increasing employee training. It’s unfortunate the City chose to pass this regulation as opposed to continuing to work in partnership with retailers. Our concerns remain that shoppers will take their business to a neighboring community and career criminals will use fraudulent credit cards to obtain other high-value items.

# # #

For interviews, contact:

Bruce Nustad
President, Minnesota Retailers Association
(651) 288-1640
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ten Retail Leaders To Be Recognized As Minnesota’s Retail Champions Amid Industry Innovation & Changing Consumer Trends

Ten Retail Leaders To Be Recognized As Minnesota’s Retail Champions Amid Industry Innovation & Changing Consumer Trends

The Minnesota Retailers Association (MnRA) is pleased to recognize ten organizations leading the way in attracting consumers with the announcement of the 2018 Minnesota’s Retail Champions.

Winners will accept their awards in person during the Retail Rally event on Tuesday, October 9, 2018, at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park (1500 Park Place Boulevard, St. Louis Park, MN 55416) beginning at 2:30 p.m. The event features a keynote speech by Amanda Brinkman, “Retail Lessons Learned While Revitalizing Main Streets Across America”. Brinkman is chief creator and host of the “Small Business Revolution - Main Street”—a critically acclaimed HULU series celebrating small businesses and revitalizing main streets across America, and chief brand and communications officer of Deluxe.

Watch the winner's video here:

We are proud to recognize 10 innovative retailers, communities and partners that rose to the top following a robust process to identify Minnesota’s Retail Champions,” says Bruce Nustad, Minnesota Retailers Association president. “The retail industry has a deep impact on Minnesota communities, and these award recipients are truly representative of what’s great about retail across the state, how the industry is changing, and what it takes to attract customers today.

The following is a complete list of the 2018 Minnesota’s Retail Champion Award recipients:

Best Place to Work
Kwik Trip, locations throughout Minnesota

Customer Experience
Red Balloon Bookshop, St. Paul, MN

Advocate of the Year
Mike Drury, Drury’s Furniture, Fountain, MN

Lifetime Achievement
Gordy Engel, The Foursome, Plymouth, MN

Retail Community of the Year
Alexandria, MN

Retail Employee of the Year
Paula Christensen, Grand Jeté, St. Paul, MN

Retail Innovation
Askov Finlayson, Minneapolis, MN

Retailer of the Year
Target, locations throughout Minnesota

Social Responsibility
Arc’s Value Village Thrift Store & Donation Center, Bloomington, New Hope, Richfield, St. Paul, MN

Vendor Partner of the Year
Rustica Bakery, Minneapolis, MN

MnRA started the award process by putting out a statewide call for nominations in the 10 categories. A panel of peer judges reviewed nearly seven dozen nominations and selected the top nominee in each category. Tickets to the event are $39 online at www.retailrally.com.

To learn more about Deluxe's Small Business Revolution TV Show visit https://www.deluxe.com/sbrc/small-business-revolution.

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