Spending so much time isolated at home because of the COVID-19 restrictions is turning out to be quite a challenge for a lot of people.
And many are now looking for relief by keeping busy with new pursuits and old favourites. Businesses that support those activities are now scrambling to keep up with increased demand.
One such company is The Discovery Hut, a toy and games store located in Chinook Centre mall in southwest Calgary. “Puzzles are huge right now!” store owner Randy Shapiro said. “Jigsaw puzzles are like the toilet paper of our industry – very high demand.” Shapiro’s staff are spending hours contacting suppliers, hunting for puzzles all over the world. “(Suppliers in) Europe, Asia, the States, Canada,” Shapiro said. “The