Charlotte-area bike shop employee tests positive for COVID-19, closing 2 locations
When I stepped into the Trek store in South Charlotte two years ago to purchase a bike — having not ridden a bike in 10+ years — I was pleased by the exceptional customer service. The employee not only answered tons of questions, but he helped me find the perfect fit, and adjusted the bike handlebars to optimize comfort. Then, after realizing I couldn’t fit the bike in my car, he helped me carefully remove the wheel and explained how to put it back together properly when home.
It’s this same care that’s reflected now, two years later amid a pandemic, when an employee at the Lake Norman Trek store tested positive for COVID-19. Trek posted a Facebook update to inform customers of the precautions they’re taking following the positive COVID-19 test:
“This morning we learned that one of our employees at our Lake Norman store has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus,” the Facebook post read. “Another employee may have been exposed after spending time at both our Lake Norman and North Charlotte stores.”
Trek will get COVID-19 testing for all employees at the Lake Norman and North Charlotte stores and perform professional sanitization of all interior surfaces, merchandise and repair bicycles from Cloudklenz Sanitation Service. Both locations will close until test results are determined. The employee who tested positive didn’t interact with anyone at the South Charlotte store, and it will remain open. As an extra precaution, it’s being cleaned by the same service as the others.
“We understand this causes an incredible inconvenience to our customers, but the health and safety of our customers and employees is our top priority,” the Facebook post read. “We are hoping to open as soon as possible in order to serve you again. In the meantime, we thank you for your patience and will be posting updates on social media and on our website.”
The news was well received by the community, as Facebook commenters thanked the store for its responsible decision, and commended the team for its concern about employees and customers over sales. Transparency in the time of COVID-19 has become an increasingly blurred line, as some businesses choose to report positive COVID-19 cases, while others don’t, even though reporting isn’t required by NC law.
Sanitizing the store
Leslie Cross, the Charlotte Trek marketing manager, said that they’ve taken cleaning service recommendations from The Cycle Path in Davidson, as it had to deal with a potential COVID-19 exposure in June.
“We’re using the same cleaning service as them,” Cross said. “It’s a safe cleaning service that can come in and clean the entire store without damaging the merchandise.”
The reason for the closure of both locations is that some employees move between stores.
“We have our tests scheduled, and we’re going to keep our stores closed until we know for sure that everyone’s test is negative. That’s what we’re hoping for,” Cross said.
The earliest the North Charlotte store could reopen is Oct. 13.
“We want to be safe rather than sorry, especially with the amount of customers we’ve had,” Cross said. “We’ve had procedures in place all year to make sure that we’re distancing and trying not to have too many people in the store at one time. Bikes are a high-contact product, so we’re making sure we’re cleaning every single area people are touching.”
This closure comes at a time when bike sales are at a high amid the pandemic. The U.S. cycling industry saw $1 billion in sales in April during the stay-at-home order, and bike sales increased 63% in June since the same time last year.
“There are all these people that are on bikes now. Whether they’re using it for recreation or transportation or just as a way to social distance, it’s such a great opportunity to get people outside and off screens, enjoying the bicycle,” Trek CFO Chad Brown told CNBC.
