Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
GETTING BACK TO NORMAL
Chester County businesses hopeful Gov. Wolf’s easing of mitigation orders will be a boon for business
Businesses and public officials welcomed a return to more of business as usual, following Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement of loosening up COVID-19 restrictions which will take effect on Memorial Day.
Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center was particularly hard hit, but survived closure since March 2020. Last week the theater opened to the public.
April Evans, Uptown! executive director, was ecstatic and eager to welcome back live audiences.
“Uptown! has been diligently preparing for a reopening that will include exciting new programming and enhanced health protocols,” Evans said, Wednesday. “We are excited about opening the doors again and greeting patrons in person.
“This is what we’ve all been waiting for! The performing arts are meant to be experienced live and in person. We’ve missed seeing our community and are pleased to have a full roster of diverse programming to welcome everyone back to live theater.”
On Tuesday, Pennsylvania lifted all COVID-19 restrictions except for the masking order, effective May 31, Memorial Day.
Capacity restrictions on bars, restaurants and other businesses, as well as gathering limits, will then end.
The mask mandate could cease when 70 percent of those 18 years and older are vaccinated. More than 50 percent of the state’s population has received at least the first dose of vaccine.
In a little over a year, COVID has infected nearly 1.2 million and killed more than 26,000 state residents.
Shannon Royer is president of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce and said the chamber was pleased with the lifting of restrictions.
“This will be incredibly helpful for businesses who have struggled throughout the pandemic,” Royer said. “As more Chester County residents receive COVID vaccinations and the infection rate continues to dwindle, we feel the time is right to relax restrictions.
“Everyone I speak to simply wants things to safely get back to normal. The Governor’s orders reflect that desire.”
“We’re pleased the Governor’s orders came after consultation with Democratic and Republican lawmakers on a COVID task force, and we applaud all involved for this bipartisan approach to addressing one of the greatest health and economic crises of our lifetimes.”
State Sen. Carolyn Comitta, D-19th, of West Chester, and member of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, urges those who haven’t already to take the vaccine.
“This is a major step forward. I know all of us – residents, families, and businesses – are more than ready to move forward from this crisis,” Comitta said. “Still, our economic recovery is ongoing, and we must continue to support our workers and businesses, especially restaurants, taverns, and those in the hospitality industry.
“The way forward is through vaccination. The available vaccines are safe and effective. I encourage all eligible Chester County residents to consider getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Appointments are available, and Chester County is continuing to hold walk-in clinics. I look forward to being together again this summer as we begin to put this pandemic behind us.”
Rory Musselman, a manager at Mitch’s Market Street Gym, is excited to welcome back gym-goers after recently reopening after being closed for 128 days.
He noted that, unlike restaurants that are able to still remain partially open, gyms are unable to provide “take-out fitness.”
“We lost a lot of people,” he said. “It was a difficult process, but the loyalty of members kept us in business.”
The gym froze memberships for those who failed to return after the gym reopened.
Borough Council President Michael Galey expects that the Open Air Market and closure of Gay Street will continue as planned.
PECO is finishing up on underground electrical work and a PennDOT decision is soon expected on closure of the stateowned roadway. Diners will likely be able to sit in the thoroughfare at the beginning of June.
“I’m cautiously optimistic that this is the beginning of a return to some semblance of normalcy,” Galey said. “But I’d also encourage everyone not yet vaccinated to do so.”
West Chester resident and businesswoman Holly Brown said Wednesday that something positive may have come from the pandemic.
“Sometimes good things happen when you least expect it,” Brown said. “I have been advocating to close Gay St. for almost 20 years to test how it would work as a pedestrian street.
“The pandemic oddly gave us the opportunity to see how the public would respond. I would say it succeeded! Guess you can find a silver lining in odd circumstances.”
Business Improvement District Executive Director John O’Brien is pleased.
“We are thrilled with the governor’s decision to ease the restrictions,” O’Brien said. “We are looking at 2021 as the ‘Year of Recovery’ and are still encouraging everyone to support local restaurants and retail stores.
“The easing of restrictions doesn’t erase the devastating losses our small businesses suffered during this pandemic. They need our support now more than ever.”
Guy Ciarrocchi, CEO of the Chester County Chamber has pushed for opening up businesses for months.
“While it’s heartening that we are moving toward normal life, our chamber reminds everyone that Pennsylvania is among the last states to re-open,” he said. “And, we are deeply troubled that Wolf’s decision was made with no warning, with no standards — just like his surprise re-closings last December.
“We remain enthusiastic supporters of the #VoteYes campaign for the primary,” Ciarrocchi said, referring to proposed amendments to the Pennsylvania Constitution. The ballot questions for these proposed state constitutional amendments are open to all registered Pennsylvania voters, regardless of political party affiliation, during the May 18 primary election.
For more information on the ballot questions, visit the Chester County Voter Services website at: www.chesco.org/156/ Voter-Services.
Josh Taggart owns Mae’s Restaurant in the borough and had the great misfortune of opening up during mid-March 2020. He missed out on early loans and grants but hopes to collect on the second round.
Taggart hopes everyone feels safe, with restaurants “going above and beyond” for cleanliness standards.
“Everybody deserves a crowd,” he said.