Our thoughts on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

It seems that everyone is making a statement about how to Plan, Prepare and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019. While we FOR SURE, are not content matter experts on this current event that is affecting all of us in some way, we would like to take a moment to let our folks and the communities we serve know what we are doing during this time.

First and foremost, we have always been there during times of disaster. We’ve seen tornados, tropical storms, ice storms… times of absolute disaster in our communities where we opened the stores to serve our communities. It’s long been our mission to serve first in times of need. At times, it has been a little more difficult, but with so many products that are used by first responders and critical care teams, we will do everything we can to source products that are needed and make them available.

As you’re thinking about the Coronavirus and what it means for you… you’re probably not thinking about lawn mowers and hand held power equipment, but we have definitely seen increased traffic to all our stores from folks looking for hand sanitizer, lysol wipes, masks and cleaning supplies. Just like everywhere you’re hearing in the news, when we do get these supplies in, they don’t last long.

We have had whole orders of products that have been canceled. We’ve seen delays on items that are normally imported in from our supply channels. We know that this will continue for months and will have ramifications later on this summer.

That being said, Ultimately, God is in control of our world and our business. We serve Him first and our friends, families and neighbors next. We trust Him (and you should too.)

Finally, we’ve been members of the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce for many years. This afternoon, they emailed all their members and we agree with their statement regarding COVID-19, so we are going to reprint it here:

The Gwinnett Chamber is encouraging area businesses to make fact-based decisions and to stay informed regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

As we trust our members and guests will follow the recommended precautions to minimize the spread of the virus and any other flu virus, we are continuing business as usual while closely monitoring the CDC’s recommendations.

Click the following links for factual resources during this global health concern:

• Latest news on COVID19 in Georgia from the Governor’s Office 
• View the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Coronavirus resource page 
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information for businesses: Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease
• Sign up for CDC email updates
• The latest news and announcements from Emory University and Emory Healthcare

By no means do we want this to add to the noise that you are all hearing, but just know that we are here for you. Our folks are going to maintain cleanliness in our stores, and we will be closely monitoring the communities we serve and the circles that intersect our tiny little business in Atlanta and North Georgia.

God Bless.

Howard Brothers