Big-box retailer Lowe's is moving forward with a nearly two-week "Spring Black Friday Sales" event that started Thursday that could draw large crowds into its stores while rival Home Depot has decided to cancel similar promotions during the coronavirus pandemic.

The North Carolina chain said it's about offering "value" in a time of need while some of its employees have expressed anxiety about interacting with hordes of customers seeking sale items. Government agencies vowed to monitor foot traffic.

"While some retailers have taken steps to eliminate value pricing, we recognize the importance of continuing to offer value to our customers in this time of economic uncertainty," Lowe's spokeswoman Sarah Lively said. "Affordability matters now more than ever."

In addition to signage placed throughout stores urging social distancing, all Lowe's stores remind customers every 15 minutes through public announcements to stay 6 feet apart, Lively said.

"Stores also have the ability to limit customer capacity in high-trafficked areas," she said.

The retailer has developed an app for store managers to use on handheld devices to monitor customer flow and limit entry when an area reaches capacity, according to Marvin Ellison, president and CEO of Lowe's.

"Social distancing ambassadors" will monitor foot traffic flow in garden centers and storefronts and enforce social distancing, he said.

The company, which operates eight of its big-box stores in the Charleston area, also offers customers the option to checkout via mobile at point of sale, and Lively said most products on sale can be bought online and delivered.

The front page of Lowe's 14-page advertising insert spells out "2-day only deals in-store only Sat 4/4 and Sun 4/5 while supplies last," among other specials, a move that could draw droves of shoppers into the warehouse-type stores. The sale runs through April 15.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is calling for people to stay home or stay at least 6 feet apart if they go out to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Other retailers are taking steps to curb foot traffic.

Costco this week said it will allow no more than two shoppers who share a membership card into its stores starting Friday.

"This temporary change is for your safety and the safety of our employees and other members, and to further assist with our social distancing efforts," the company said on its website.

On Wednesday, Home Depot issued a statement that said it will limit the number of people inside its stores to no more than 100 at a time.

"We’re also eliminating major spring promotions to avoid driving high levels of traffic to stores," the Atlanta-based retailer said.

During the pandemic, and especially on weekends, large numbers of shoppers have turned up at home improvement stores to buy supplies for their gardens and do-it-yourself projects.

Some Lowe's employees have quietly raised concerns, with one South Carolina employee telling The Post and Courier that she and many of her co-workers feel "uneasy" selling power tools, patio furniture and mulch at discount prices this weekend.

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To counter the angst, Ellison said Thursday the company is temporarily raising pay by $2 for all hourly workers, both full- and part-time.

Meanwhile, local governments across the region said they would be monitoring activity at Lowe's.

Summerville Mayor Ricky Waring said he can't count the number of residents who have called his office complaining about the number of shoppers that the Lowe's in North Main Market brings in. He recently sent police to the store to speak with the manager and ask for help in controlling the crowd. He doesn’t believe that helped since residents are still complaining.

And though there have been similar grousing about grocery stores, the calls about Lowe's have been much more frequent.

"I’m very disappointed in Lowe's having that big sale," Waring said. "I think it's poor planning on their part."

Though the sale doesn’t go against any of Summerville’s ordinances, it does go against the town’s advice to limit crowds to three and to stay 6 feet apart.

Waring plans to consult with the police chief about how to handle the situation going forward, including this weekend's sale. He hopes that residents will be more cautious and that the governor will address this issue.

In Mount Pleasant, Mayor Will Haynie said Police Chief Carl Ritchie visited big-box stores on Wednesday, specifically Lowe's, to make sure their pandemic protocol adhered to the town's ordinance and Gov. Henry McMaster's order.

"Sale or no sale, they agreed to implement proper social distancing," Haynie said.

Haynie said police will be assisting the large retail stores through the implementation of the new practices.

In Goose Creek, Mayor Greg Habib said the city has reached out to large retailers to advise them of being cautious about large gatherings. He said he was disappointed that Lowe's is going through with its sale.

"We'd prefer they didn't, but we can't control them," Habib said. "It's fairly disconcerting that they would go through with that sale."

And in North Charleston, the city is offering safety precautions for all businesses still in operation. The measures include limiting occupancy to 50 percent, establishing clearly defined spaces at checkout, offering sanitizing and hand washing stations, and designating each aisle one-way to traffic.

“We’re providing recommendations,” said North Charleston spokesman Ryan Johnson. “Hopefully, they’ll be followed.”

Dan Riccio, Charleston's livability director, said he visited the Lowe's stores on James Island and in West Ashley, and he also spoke with the district manager for all Lowe's stores in the area.

Riccio said the retailer has removed additional signage about Friday's sales.

"I advised both the manager and district manager that, in consultation with the police chief and legal department that if it is deemed necessary and the crowds become unmanageable, the city would have no choice but to close the business," Riccio said. "Safety is of the utmost importance, and the city will take any measure necessary to ensure the safety of shoppers and employees."