Few parts of daily life felt stranger than shopping during the pandemic. Panic buying, one-way aisles, wiped-down groceries, and plexiglass barriers turned routine errands into unforgettable rituals. This section brings those pandemic shopping memories together.

Shopping (13)

These illustrated stories are part of COVID Chronicles, a 237-page collection of pandemic memories that readers revisit for the humor, the disbelief, and the perspective.

Want the big-picture version? Start with our guide to weird COVID shopping rules and store changes.

Own The Full Collection

If these store memories hit home, the full book goes much deeper.

COVID Chronicles is more than a blog archive. It is a curated, coffee-table-ready collection of 101 illustrated pandemic memories that readers can flip through, gift, and revisit anytime.

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Supermarket has arrow stickers on the floor guiding traffic flow

Grocery Stores Added Arrow Stickers to Control Aisle Flow

Woman shopping in the produce section wearing face mask and protective gloves

Shoppers Wore Protective Gloves in Grocery Stores

Lady wiping down a bag of chips with a disinfecting wipe during COVID-19 pandemic

Shoppers Wiped Down Groceries When They Got Them Home

Line of people socially distanced waiting to check out in a grocery store

Stores Required Customers to Give Each Other Spacing in Line

Cashier at a grocery store wearing a face mask and protected by plexiglass

Stores Installed Plexiglass Barriers for Their Cashiers

Man in a hazmat suit spraying down credit card reader with chemicals

Customers Went Overboard Wiping Down the Credit Card Readers

Long line of customers waiting outside of store to be let in during COVID-19 pandemic restrictions

Customer Waited in Line While Stores Limited Shoppers in Store

Full cart of waters in a grocery store

Stores Limited the Amount of Water Each Customer Could Buy

Local Ma and Pa hardware store closed down during COVID-19 pandemic

Ma and Pa Stores Were Closed Down While Big Box Stores Stayed Open

Fitting room is closed in a popular department store during COVID-19 pandemic

Fitting Rooms Were Closed Down

Older gentleman on a motorized scooter driving thru grocery store by himself wearing a face mask

Stores Created Time Slots for the Immunocompromised to Shop

Corona beer bottles broken and spilled over the sidewalk

Corona Beer Sales Plummeted

Grocery store has completely empty shelve in the toilet paper aisle

People Panic Bought and Hoarded Toilet Paper

What people are saying

Reviews from readers

"This book will make you laugh and feel ALL the feelings."

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"One of the most delightful reads of this year! I highly recommend."

Five star rating

"A great coffee table book. Easy to pick up read."

Five star rating

"Great coffee table conversation starter."

Five star rating

"Funny and fun to read. What a fun way to put the pandemic in perspective."

Five star rating

Picture of author Anthony Faust

About the Author

My life as a husband and father transformed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sent home from work in March 2020, I've yet to return to the office. Adapting to the new pandemic world proved challenging for us all.

However, we managed to find silver linings. Drive-by birthdays brought joy to my kids' friends. I'll never forget stumbling upon a heartfelt hand-painted rock during my jog, reminding us that we're all in this together. Regular Zoom happy hours with close friends created cherished memories.

While quality time with my family was a blessing, we also faced hurdles. Assisting my youngest daughter with frustrating math homework on a poorly designed iPad app tested our patience. Both girls struggled with wearing masks during sports and school.

Sadly, witnessing COVID-19 being politicized and witnessing the closure of small businesses while the wealthy thrived was disheartening.

I wrote this book to document our experiences, learning from them and striving for better decisions in the future. Join me on this rewarding journey of resilience and growth.


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