Megan Lesanec - Bumble tree baby & toy shop

I'd like to introduce Megan and Rebecca of Bumble Tree baby & toy shop.

What impact has Covid-19 had on your business, and how have you been handling that?

We were closed to the public for 9 weeks to protect the health and safety of our community. It was a very trying time but we were very grateful for our website and the creative options we came up with to continue to safely serve our customers. We did live videos, personal shopping sessions via video, and offered contactless local delivery. We are continuing to see some effects like longer shipping times and product shortages and we are pro-actively thinking ahead to our fall/winter season and how that will look if we are faced with a second closure.

What inspiring or uplifting things have you been seeing during the pandemic situation?

Cranbrook has always had a supportive business community but I feel like the pandemic really brought us all together. There has been a lot of idea sharing, cooperation, and support among businesses. A few owners have run cross promotions or contests to promote other business in the community. We are all going through the same struggle and want to see each other succeed. Our customers have also really shown their support for us. We had customers that graciously sponsored contests and others that made sure to order multiple times while we were closed. It's been great to see an increase in good old fashioned family fun. Puzzles and games saw a huge spike in popularity and we are happy to help provide products that bring families together and create happy memories during this stressful time.

What have you been doing to find, create joy or have some fun during this uncertain time?

Now that we are open to the public again and don't have home school responsibilities, my family and I have found ourselves with more time to do things we always wanted to but were too busy for before. We have been fostering kittens from the SPCA and it is definitely a welcome distraction from the stress of the pandemic.

Is there anything specific you’d like to share, or wish people knew right now?

The weight of this pandemic affects everyone differently. You never know what someone is going through. Everyone has a story. Continue to be kind, spread joy, look after your mental health, and do what you can to support your local economy.