WINNIPEG It’s been nearly a year since COVID-19 arrived in Manitoba, forcing many to work from home. A lot of businesses in downtown Winnipeg relied heavily on foot traffic, and with more people working remotely, some entrepreneurs have been forced to close their doors for good. However, some new businesses in the area like Bagelsmith on St. Mary’s Road are making the most of the pandemic. Currently they’re operating at 25% capacity, but working under restrictions is all this business knows. “We were open for about a week and a half and then code red happened,” said Phil Klein, owner of Bagelsmith. “(That) kind of changed everything for us unfortunately, so we kind of had to pivot.”
As delivery options have expanded beyond pizza and Chinese food, alcohol has become the new product South Bend area residents can get brought right to their front door.
Earlier this month, area liquor store chain Blarney Stone Wine and Spirits began partnering with e-commerce company, Drizly, to allow customers to order beer, wine and liquor to be delivered by store employees to their door within an hour of purchase.
Customers are able to use the Drizly app, shop the Blarney Stoneâs inventory electronically and purchase their product directly through the e-commerce site. The app will prompt customers to verify their legal age by scanning the barcode on the back of their state driverâs license and a delivery driver will be on their way. The driver then delivers the product, but must prove the receiver is 21 or older and must, once again, scan the driverâs license for verification.