donna o'leary owns ambience, a clothing and accessory store with three locations in the city. >> it's not really great for our kind of business. it's okay but since people like to try things on, it makes it a little tricky. >> reporter: o'leary says she would not have survived the pandemic without government relief loans. still, only two people took advantage of curbside pickup today. >> we sold a pair of sunglasses this morning because we can show them the sunglasses. they put gloves on. we have gloves and masks. they have gloves and masks. so everybody is good but there's with the regular way retail works, there's not much they can do. >> reporter: o'leary is now gearing up to launch an ecommerce website. down the street at video wave, one of san francisco's oldest video rental stores, owner conner hutton says there wasn't a huge rush when he reopened. >> there's been a lot of conversations with people who want to know how things are working now. there's a lot of information that's been transferred. i've had a few transactions. i've had a few drop-ins that i wasn't able to have befo

business owners like donna o'leary are thrilled. >> really great since i heard the fantastic news. >> reporter: she lost half a million dolores being closed for three months. now she's hopeful she will survive. >> i just am overjoyed. we can get open. we can get our employees back. we can return to a new normal, but some semblance of our old life. >> reporter: but life will still be far from what's considered normal. some rules are sticking around. for example, masks are still required. >> when you are outside and say for example, you are enjoying the park we are asking you, if you are within 30 feet of someone else, to wear a face covering. and we want you to just think about it in a way that it's not necessarily just about protecting yourself. it's about protecting other people. >> reporter: plus, the health soared extended indefinitely. >> we are still asking people to stay at home if at all possible. >> reporter: encouraging a progressive reopen, which is why each phase is staggered. after june 15th, other businesses will begin to reopen in mid-july and then mid-august. mayor bree

. >> reporter: week 1, embracing curbside customers isn't going great for donna o'leary. >> curbsideickup for our kind of retail is kind of a joke. >> reporter: and sales for her boutique chain ambience aren't anything to laugh at, either. >> we've hardly had anything. the rent keeps having to be paid. >> reporter: and the rent isn't cheap. a $5500 payment for three stores and a warehouse. >> reporter: how long do you think you can survive? >> not long. >> reporter: o'leary is already out half a million dollars. >> in a couple months, we were gone. >> reporter: it's not quite as bad for pete mulvihill, owner of green appleooks. >> it'much busier people get tir books faer. relied on online orders where books were packed by his staff. customers could pick them up and go. >> we had staff members show them around to the books because they desperately just wanted to get in there and look around. >> reporter: he knows curbside won't be sustainable. >> if we had to operate like this for six months, it wouldn't work. >> reporter: but if you ask paul robertson -- do you think you're going to

donna o'leary is counting her blessings. >> oh, well. it's been really tough. >> she owns ambiance, a trendy women's clothing boutique in san francisco. like so many, she is reopening her doors in a very different way. >> if someone wants to come up we can show them product with gloves and masks on and put gloves on them so they can touch the product and we can make it very safe. >> reporter: call it retail redefined. >> you fill out a form and we pick the clothes for you. make a nice package of clothes specially cure ated for you. >> forget crowded stores, curbside pickup is the new normal. >> we just ask if she wants a bag. >> reporter: ask pete, co-owner of green apple books, a san francisco staple around since 1967. >> our whole business model changed to sort of the warehouse fulfillment picking and packing and e-mailing and calling instead of talking to people directly. >> open from 10:00 to 6:00 but no browsing in the store. instead, the new layout allows consumers to order and pay online. >> this is pete. >> only pick up curbside