More comic and game stores are headed for lockdown this weekend, with non-essential retailers now ordered to close in seven states, according to USA Today. Over 101 million people, comprising over 30% of the U.S. population, live in these states, listed here in order of population:
- California
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Illinois
- New Jersey
- Oregon
- Connecticut
The specifics of the orders vary, and at least one of these states is allowing “non-store retailers” (i.e., e-commerce companies) to remain open in some circumstances, but that seems to be exception rather than the rule; non-essential businesses have to shut down. Efforts by chains to have books and games declared “essential” (see “”Are Game and Comic Stores ‘Essential’ Businesses”) have so far been unsuccessful.
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which has been doing a great job of helping retailers in the coronavirus crisis (see “CBLDF Retailer Resources”) has put up another useful document offering advice and resources for retailers in states under lockdown (and we seem to be headed toward more of those, if not all) here. Most of this info is useful regardless of the product categories sold, so equally helpful for game and comic stores.