On March 19, Experienced Goods closed indefinitely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A few of us worked on that Thursday with the lights off and the doors locked, organizing and cleaning, tying up loose ends, buttoning things up in a way that will make our eventual reopening smoother.
We sat and ate lunch together, chatting, trying to make light of the situation, none of us really sure what this quarantine thing would look and feel like.
We walked one another through the process of applying for unemployment online, cheering when each of us completed the application successfully.
When we left in the late afternoon and the door clicked shut behind us, it felt like the start to any other long weekend or vacation.