Menards Bans Kids From Stores as Coronavirus Safety Measure

(Bloomberg) -- Parents looking to swing by Menards for some spring gardening supplies better leave the kids at home.

Menard Inc. isn’t letting children into its 327 home improvement stores across the U.S. Midwest, according to spokesperson Jeff Abbott.

“We absolutely love families but need to lessen the number of people shopping in our stores, and I think it goes without saying that children need to be protected from any exposure to the virus,” Abbott said in an email. The policy, which applies to anyone under 16, went into effect April 1.

The chain also offers pickup service for online orders placed at Menards.com. Purchases can be collected at designated areas in the store’s lumberyards.

While the outright banning of children is unusual, stores that remain open during the pandemic lockdown are generally not happy when kids run around ignoring social distancing rules for six-foot separations and one-way aisles. And, as parents know, it’s hard to keep kids from touching everything.

Retailers have been upended by the coronavirus global pandemic that’s forced Americans to shelter in place in their homes. Companies have updated corporate policies with measures to prevent the spread of the virus, including masks and gloves for employees and plastic shields at checkouts.

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