Usually this time of year, people are busy shopping for things like Easter goodies and fresh flowers to help celebrate the season and the start of springtime. Just like everything else, that's changed this year.
On Thursday, Newswatch 16's Ryan Leckey showed how some area businesses that depend on Easter shoppers are coping with the side effects of coronavirus.
Whether it's Jerry's For All Seasons in Dunmore or other places Newswatch 16 checked in with, the way Easter sales are taking place everywhere have dramatically changed for this holy season.
Most shoppers are ordering online, picking up curbside, or having their flowers delivered. You can learn more about Jerry's For All Seasons Easter hours at its Facebook page here.
In addition to Jerry's For All Seasons, many others that usually boom at this time of year have been forced to change.
In Columbia County, Easter cakes are usually big sellers every year at Nanny Cakes Bakery. The small business on Main Street in Orangeville also makes little Easter boxes filled with chocolate eggs, cookies, jellybeans, even edible Easter grass:
"It's actually a great alternative for someone doesn't want to do a big Easter basket," Nannycakes Bakery owner Natalie Austin said.
Natalie Austin stayed open to serve her loyal customers even during this pandemic.
"I did scale my menu back just a little bit. I didn't have quite as many varieties as I normally do," Austin said.
But while things may be scaled back a bit at Nannycakes this year, the holiday orders are still coming in strong.
" It's really not Easter. It's the birthdays that are getting canceled and the weddings that are getting postponed. I had four food truck events that were canceled for April, so that's where it's really hitting us, with those special events," Austin said.
Austin says she can't thank her customers enough for sticking with her during these trying times.
" I really think the community has all come together. We're really all trying to work together and just get back to normal," added Austin.
From baked goods to blooming flowers, other businesses have had to find ways to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, including Fort Muncy Garden Center in Lycoming County. It's located behind the Lycoming Mall near Muncy.
" We're delivering Easter flowers like pansies," owner Chas Flexer said.
Fort Muncy Garden Center has been around for 23 years.
Flexer says customers who want to keep a safe distance are welcome to use the center's drive-thru or delivery service to get their fill of spring colors.
"We have anything from bluebells, daffodils, and hyacinths—all the basics like daisies, Easter lilies, hydrangeas. We do a lot of blooming baskets for Easter that are pretty wonderful," Flexer said.
While the way of doing things here may have changed, Flexer promises his garden center is here to stay.
" I made it through the 2008 economy crash, so I'm sure I'm going to make it through this," Flexer said.
Both Flexer and Austin told Newswatch 16 they truly appreciate the customers who are staying with them, and they know that together they will be able to get through this.