MUSCAT: For nearly three months, Ruwi High Street was looking empty due to the coronavirus lockdown but with the Covid-19 scare subsiding, customers have resurfaced in Oman’s commercial capital, making shopkeepers a happy lot. 

Speaking to The Arabian Stories, several shop owners have confirmed that there is an uptick in customers. “Business is slowly getting back on track. We expect footfalls to increase. People understand social distancing and we all are following all SOPs directed by the government,” said Mohammed Sajeed, who has been running a shop in Ruwi Souq for the last 25 years. 

However, Sajeed highlighted a change in the trend of the shoppers. “We are seeing an increase in the number of shoppers who exactly know what they want, visit and complete their purchase in a very short time and exit the shop,” he noted. 

Shops dealing in readymade garments, footwear, stationery items, mobile accessories and even small eateries that were massively affected during the pandemic is hoping to bounce back in the coming months. “A majority of the shops that closed down were on rent and with no business, shopkeepers were left with no cash for overhead charges,” Sajeed said. 

“I never saw Ruwi High Street shut completely. And the last three months was a struggle to survive. We had to pay the rent, staff salary and suppliers as well. I really hope life move on and this (Covid-19) will never comeback,” he added.