“Great thanks to these warmhearted friends and their timely help. They are such great neighbors!” Though the emergency really worried us, they brought a great deal of warmth that consoled us indeed. We even don’t know how to express our gratitude,” said Hao Yanyan, store manager of UNIQLO on West Nanjing Road.

At 5:30 p.m. on January 13, 2022, due to the demands of epidemic prevention and control, the UNIQLO store on West Nanjing Road had to be temporarily closed for 48 hours. Hao Yanyan said, “There were more than 50 customers and 20 staff in our store at that time. When receiving the emergency notice, we closed the store and thought immediately about how to console and serve these stranded consumers.” Colleagues of the headquarters bought food, water, toiletries, medicines, and power banks and delivered these goods to the store promptly. However, facing the problem of how to arrange these 70 more people to stay overnight in the store really perplexed Hao Yanyan.

Staff of West Nanjing Road Sub-district gave their hands timely. “Don’t worry. We’ll try our best to find enough sleeping bags for you all.” Hao Yanyan felt relieved after hearing the words. “It was already past 10 p.m. at night, but staff from the sub-district were extremely obliging and searched for resources for us. After all, we were really in great need of sleeping bags.” Hao Yanyan said that the 70 more sleeping bags arrived within only 30 minutes. “They were so helpful! It was amazing that they responded to our demands at such a fast speed! We were really moved. Many thanks to them!”

Figure: Sleeping bags on the way

That night, there was another kind man who lent his hand. At around 11:00 p.m., a great deal of pizza was delivered to the UNIQLO store unexpectedly, much to the stranded people’s surprise and moving they a lot. It was the warmth sent by a small pizzeria nearby. It is learned that, after knowing that the UNIQLO store was temporarily closed, the owner of Joe’s Pizza, Adrian Wall, sent his staff to deliver pizza for the stranded people at once and in the morning of the next day.

“We are neighbors. It’s our pleasure to help them,” said the Marketing Director of Joe’s Pizza Ms. Zhang. She waved her hand meaning it was nothing that should be worth mentioning. “We could do nothing but gave them our hot pizza and let them feel a little warmth in this cold winter.”

It was learned that the pizzeria owner Adrian Wall is American and has the same experience of quarantine before. He said, “The UNIQLO store is near Joe’s Pizza. It was a great pleasure for me to offer my help. I asked my staff to bake pizzas and send them to the store, and we also sent chicken, French fries, and beverages. They were so dedicated. Hope the hot pizzas could warm them.”

“These beloved people deeply impressed me, the staff of the sub-district, our neighbors in Joe’s Pizza, our colleagues, the patient customers, and the workers outside our store who were responsible for epidemic prevention and control and busy for 24 hours,” said Hao Yanyan, “After the quarantine, we must express our sincere gratitude to them!”