GRAPEVINE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – New data found people in North Texas have been steadily returning to in-person shopping and dining the past three months.
According to Zenreach, visits have increased nearly 52% in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
“We feel more safe and we definitely want to start getting out more, because it has been a year that we’ve been pretty much been trapped inside,” said Grapevine resident Cindy Derbyshire.
The uptick in foot traffic has been great for businesses on Grapevine’s Main Street.
Grapevine’s Main Street (Caroline Vandergriff – CBS 11)
“We were down quite a bit last year, but things are getting better,” said Debbie Bunch, owner of Ashlins LTD.
According to recent numbers from UT Southwestern, visits to retail and recreation are actually nearing pre-pandemic baseline levels in some North Texas counties.
“Every day when I come in, I see more and more people out on the streets, ready to shop,” said Rosemary Kryska, manager of Dr. Sue’s Chocolate.
Dr. Sue’s Chocolate in Grapevine (Caroline Vandergriff – CBS 11)
Some businesses require customers to wear masks when they come inside, but others don’t.
Store owners say it doesn’t seem to be a deciding factor in whether people feel comfortable coming out to shop.
“It’s a mix,” Bunch said. “On the street, they’re not wearing them much, but when they come in, they see us wearing them and a lot of people go ahead and wear them.”
After a tough 2020, stores are grateful for the increase in business and hopeful people can keep shopping safely through 2021.
