How to Re-Open Safely: Tips and Strategies for Re-Opening FECs

Some areas have begun rolling back coronavirus restrictions and allowing businesses to re-open. While this is an exciting time for all of the family entertainment centers that are eagerly anticipating getting back to business, it can also be quite stressful to figure out the logistics of doing so. If you’re worried about how to re-open safely, you’re not alone! 

As a business owner, you should have a well-thought-out plan for when you do re-open your family entertainment center or roller skating rink. Fortunately, there are ways you can help protect the health of your employees and customers. Take a look at these things to consider before you re-open, and use them to create a detailed safety plan tailored for your unique FEC.

Tips for Safely Re-Opening FECs

• Keep the safety of your customers and staff a TOP PRIORITY in every decision. If in doubt, err on the side of caution.
• How are you going to sanitize your facility? Take into consideration all areas and surfaces that customers come into contact with—indoor playgrounds, ball pits, arcade games, lockers, rental skates, etc. Create a detailed plan of how often to sanitize, who will do it, and exactly which products and processes will be used. Make sure your staff is well-trained on these new procedures and that they have what they need to comply. 
• Implement social distancing and enforce it as much as possible. For instance, tape out 6-foot markers for areas that tend to draw lines or crowds, like the ticket booth, concessions stand, and skate rental counter. 
• Make social distancing possible by limiting crowds. Too many people in any confined space equals a recipe for infection, so keep the maximum capacity lower than you usually would.
• Provide face masks to employees and encourage customers to wear masks for entry.
• Try to limit contact as much as possible: Opt for pre-purchases for admission online, switch to touchless payment methods, and install plexiglass partitions between customers and employees where possible. (Again, think ticket window, concessions, skate rental, prize counter, etc.)
• Make hand sanitizing stations readily available.
• Communicate to your customers exactly how you plan to keep them safe! Use your social media channels, email newsletter, and other digital means to let customers know what you’re doing. Videos are great, but even just a simple Facebook post can give customers the confidence to trust that they can visit safely. Don’t forget to also utilize in-house signs to display cleanliness and safety policies. 
• Consider breaking up your day into capped skate sessions with a certain number of people allowed in each session, followed by 30 minutes in between sessions to allow for cleaning and sanitization. 

What are your main concerns as you prepare to re-open your business during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic? We’d love to hear from you about how you’re tackling these new challenges at your skating rink or FEC.