Wait to reopen? Some shops in NYC run out of patience
NEW YORK — In a city famous for its lack of patience, some businesses have jumped ahead on what’s supposed to be a slow and methodical emergence from coronavirus lockdown.
Stores in parts of the New York City have already started to allow customers inside to shop, even though the phased reopening that began Monday allows retailers to sell merchandise only via curbside pickup for now.
At least a dozen customers perused racks of women’s clothing Wednesday inside Mini Max in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood.
Shoppers mostly self-policed for social distancing, which wasn’t difficult given the store’s size, but the only restriction applied by owner, Albert Abeal, was that customers must wear masks.
“We just opened. Everybody’s hungry for merchandise,” said Mr. Abeal, who has owned the store for about 20 years. He said business this week had essentially returned to normal, although he didn’t expect that to last. “They didn’t buy clothes for so long. It’s going to slow down in a week.”
Mr. Abeal said he believed he was allowed to have customers inside because it sold face masks and alcohol, although the latter did not appear to be on display. Food and beverage stores are exempt from the state’s closure rules.
Other shops in the neighborhood were also letting in customers.
Mutali Sing, owner of J&M Sneaker, stood at his shop’s door and encouraged customers to call ahead for curbside pickup, but he said he has had trouble enforcing the policy.
“Once they see you are open, they think you are open like normal, like you can walk in and do the browsing,” he said.
He’s hardly in a position to turn them away — not with his landlord demanding he continue paying his $8,000 monthly rent.
Customers are not supposed to be permitted indoors at most retailers until phase two of reopening, which could come as early as June 22, although Mayor Bill de Blasio has said it could be delayed until July.
The cautious return to business is intended to prevent a resurgence of the coronavirus, which has killed at least 22,000 people in the city. The number of new infections has dropped dramatically, but through the end of last week, hundreds of people were continuing to test positive each day.
In other parts of New York state, businesses are further along in the reopening plan. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday several center and north of regions of the state would be allowed to go to the third phase, which, among other things, allows restaurants to open their dining rooms, with reduced occupancy.