A weekend unlike any other morphed into a Monday when more Minnesota businesses realized they would have to radically change how they operate or close indefinitely to fight the coronavirus outbreak.
Downtown Minneapolis emptied out further as Target Corp., the largest employer, told its employees to work from home, if possible.
Dozens of other downtown employers had already taken that step, leaving the restaurants, convenience stores and other small businesses that serve them to make plans to close.
"Today is the first day that business fell off a cliff," said Frank Gambino, owner of three Andrea Pizza locations downtown and one in Dinkytown. "We're doing only 20% of our normal business. At this rate we'll close in a few days."
By the end of the day, it was clear Gambino wouldn't wait that long. In a late afternoon event, Gov. Tim Walz told restaurants and bars they should close to help create more "social distancing" that experts believe will slow the spread of the deadly illness.
Moises Gutierrez of Crossings Skyway Barbers & Salon was one of the rare downtown businesses who hadn't felt a decline in business until Monday.
"Our business is mostly by appointment and we're good for the next couple of weeks, but I expect some cancellations," he said. "We'll stay open until we hear from the Minnesota barbering board or the cosmetology board that we have to close."
Many retailers conducted flash sales to draw shoppers and lower inventories ahead of possible closures. Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack also made an unprecedented move of discounting nearly the entire store 10% Saturday and Sunday.