Times Chronicle & Public Spirit
RALLY AROUND REOPENING
Businesses, restaurants welcome support through pandemic
For many businesses 2020 got off to a pretty good start — the region was experiencing low unemployment numbers and clients and customers had expendable income. Some business owners were projecting that 2020 would be among their best years.
The first case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was confirmed in January. By March, the coronavirus pandemic brought the world, nation and local economies to a screeching halt — especially for small business owners.
While grocery stores and some of the larger “big-box” stores remained open, smaller businesses, retailers and restaurants were forced to close under Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s order March 19 that all non-life sustaining businesses needed to close to reduce the spread of the virus.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy issued a similar order a couple of days later.
An initial two-week closure order turned to four weeks, then two months, then almost three months before the greater Philadelphia region in southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey began to reopen.
Some businesses remained closed for the entire time, while others shifted or pivoted their business models to find a way to operate — albeit in limited fashion. They exhibited resilience in the face of a health crisis.
Over the past few months, some businesses have seized on the opportunity the pandemic brought to shift their focus — adding technology and/or more robust ecommerce options, offering same-day delivery and finding new ways to engage their customers.
Restaurants, for example, focused on curbside pickup and delivery when dine-in options were eliminated. When outdoor dining was allowed — communities expanded options for restaurants without outdoor dining to be able to offer it. Parking lots and onstreet parking spaces were converted into a place to dine.
Restaurants, already struggling, donated food to frontline workers or their own displaced employees.
Retailers beefed up their online presences, or created an online presence, to continue sales. Some launched curbside and delivery options.
Literally overnight, the shifts began. And communities have rallied around their small businesses.
Virtual tip jars were established to get tips to furloughed or laid-off food and beverage workers, and gift card purchase programs spread with consumers purchasing gift cards from area businesses, including some that were closed.
One such initiative was the Shop Small to Win Big initiative in support of businesses along the Route 422 corridor in Montgomery County. Businesses donated $100 gift cards for two raffles in April and May, and to qualify, customers had to make a single $50 purchase during a week-long window of time.
Consumers spent more than $148,000 in support of the businesses.
Montco boroughs, restaurants work together
Restaurants and borough officials are working together to put downtown establishments in the best position for success despite a tough economic climate.
“I just think it’s the time to be grateful for what we have and that we’re able to put people to work,” said Justin Weathers, coowner of Stove and Tap in Lansdale.
Some local restaurants focused on perfecting outdoor dining, which was initially allowed during the yellow phase implemented by Gov. Tom Wolf as a way to lift restrictions initially imposed to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus in Pennsylvania.
“We knew that outdoor open air would be more desirable so we[‘re] ... concentrat[ing] on our area of making that better and more approachable,” Weathers said.
John Ernst, Lansdale’s borough manager, noted an ordinance making restaurants eligible for outdoor dining. Officials examine parameters including sidewalk spacing and pedestrian accessibility.
“When there’s an opportunity to let these businesses start to get themselves back on their feet and start to provide a product for all of the residents and visitors who are really anxious to ... go to a restaurant and get out of the house,” Ernst said. “Our role is to try and help do that as quickly and as efficiently as we can.”
In an effort to provide assistance to the local restaurant community in North Wales, some establishments “expanded their outdoor seating to accommodate the outdoor dining,” according to Borough Manager Christine Hart.
Hart said she relied on guidance from several entities including the area’s chamber of commerce, and county and federal health agencies.
Nearby, Ambler Main Street Manager Elizabeth Wahl Kunzier worked with borough staff and the Ambler Police Department
to funnel outdoor dining requests through the appropriate channels. Still, she maintained the need to continue supporting restaurants.
“I think we are all really working hard as a community to do takeout,” Wahl Kunzier said.
As the pandemic put a strain on the area’s economy, local staff and area business owners agreed on the need to maintain good working relationships.
“We are proud to say that we stay in constant contact with our downtown businesses,” Hart said. “They call when they need, they email and they reach out, and we’d like to think we communicate effectively.”
As a liaison with the Ambler borough, Wahl Kunzier said it’s been a team effort to support the business community.
“Everyone is really trying to
stay in constant contact with our downtown businesses,” Hart said. “They call when they need, they email and they reach out, and we’d like to think we communicate effectively.”
As a liaison with the Ambler borough, Wahl Kunzier said it’s been a team effort to support the business community.
“Everyone is really trying to be supportive and anything that they’ve asked we’ve tried to make happen,” Wahl Kunzier said.
Chad Rosenthal, chef and owner of The Lucky Well in Amber, said town representatives have been helpful since he opened his Butler Avenue location seven years ago.
“Ambler’s been great by pretty much by letting us do what we need to do if we’re willing to do it,”
Nevertheless, some area restaraunteurs emphasized the importance of patience when it comes to reopening.
“What we’re trying to do is take it slow,” Weathers said. “So there’s no rush to recuperate loss. We want to live week to week. We want to live within the comfort of our guests and our staff.”
Rosenthal agreed, stressing the need to “be smart” and fiscally responsible in the coming weeks before reevaluating “early next year try to open to what we call normal with our concept.”
Norristown area businesses emphasize support
As businesses reopened June 26, it was a good time for folks to keep in mind the small independent shops that have been struggling during the pandemic, noted Colleen Kriebel, owner of Kriebel’s Custom Bakery.
Tucked away in the Colonial Shopping Center at 3140 Ridge Pike, Eagleville, Kriebel’s Custom Bakery not only offers personalized cakes, but a variety of bakery specialties from elegant “patisserie” style morsels to cupcakes and sticky buns.
“A lot of what I hear is, ‘if you see it here, buy it here, keep us here.’ That’s kind of the small business slogan right now, supporting small business,” said Kriebel, who is looking forward to a renewed demand for large cakes.
“During the shutdown all parties, all weddings and events were canceled. The gatherings can now be bigger, so people aren’t looking for the four-inch cakes, which cost $12, but bigger cakes, (starting around $40), and hopefully with the bigger party gatherings we’ll be back in business like normal soon,” Kriebel noted.
Although it may be more discretely located than the corporate chain outpost down the road, Kriebel’s can easily accommodate all of your morning coffee requirements along with that tasty pastry.
The business has had its share of setbacks this year. In addition to the pandemic, the recent storms knocked out the power for five days during the yellow phase.
“I think business will pick up and people will come out once they get comfortable knowing that places are following all the CDC guidelines, which of course we are,” Kriebel said.
The local economy was back to humming at Collegeville Italian Bakery Pizzeria Napoletana, 3846 Ridge Pike, Lower Providence, customers were expressing their fondness for the pandemic-inspired drive thru service.
“The drive-thru is a great convenience from the standpoint of a mom with kids in car seats … she doesn’t have to unstrap them and put them in a stroller. They can just pull up, we put whatever they ordered in their car and they’re gone,” noted Steve Carcarey, who owns the local icon with wife Patrizia.
“We do it every Christmas Eve and it works wonders, it really does. We’ll keep it for now, until the governor allows us to go 100 percent and then Patrizia and I will make a decision on what we want to do with it.”
In addition to the restaurant’s take-out menu items, the couple was permitted to keep the market open during the crisis.
“We have milk, bread, eggs, and we’re a manufacturer of bread. Going into a supermarket is like coming into our market,” said Carcarey, who pointed to a particular menu item’s success in recent weeks.
“Our Detroit pizza has been unbelievably successful throughout this, and the funny thing is that it’s not new, it’s been on our menu,” he said. Carcarey had learned the technique for the pan-style pizza from an expert in California and brought the recipe back to Pennsylvania.
In West Norriton, Ultimate Image Salon & Spa, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, business was brisk for reopening.
Customers were adapting well to the new procedures, noted manager Dawn Turner.
“The state has laid out some restrictive laws we need to follow. We’re only allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity. As soon as clients pull up they need to call us and we go out to them and we take their temperature and we have a consent form with various questions about COVID, have they had any symptoms within the last 14 days, have they traveled domestically via plane. We’re hoping for their honesty but there’s no way we can prove it. We’re just trying to take every precaution we can.”
Inside, clients are required to wear masks, as are the staff members.
“It’s very difficult for them, especially with the short haircuts, to keep the mask aro und the ear. So what we’ve done is we purchased surgical tape to tape the mask to their face. We’re trying to think of everything, but it’s crazy the things you don’t think until you’re in the thick of it. Today we were completely booked and we’ve booked for a couple weeks now. We haven’t seen our people in three months. They’ve missed us and we’ve missed them. But it’s so exciting when they come in because we know they’re going to feel so much better walking out of here. Just to look in the mirror and not see roots it just makes them feel so much better. And it makes us feel good.”
Ultimate Image is located at 2107 W. Main St., Jeffersonville.
With a large dining room at 2688 DeKalb Pike, East Norriton, Via Veneto Pizza & Family Restaurant was initially able to seat around 60 diners at half capacity, noted co-owner Joe Stabile. Those criteria changed with state new restrictions on July 15.
“This is new for us and new for everybody. We hope customers bear with us during this,” he said.
Curbside pickup, so popular during the pandemic, will continue for now as well.
Also, a QR (Quick Response) bar code can scan the menu if a customer chooses, Stabile said.
“It brings you directly to our website and it’s a no contact way to pull up our menu from your cell phone.”
Alcohol-infused adult slushies, popularized during the pandemic as a takeout item, will still be available in flavors such as Pina colada (rum); Mango (vodka); Strawberry (tequila) and Lemon (vodka.)
A business idea to help the unemployed
The coronavirus pandemic put untold millions out of work, as businesses shut down due to the safety restrictions imposed.
That meant millions of people not only seeking unemployment benefits, but seeking employment.
And in many fields, nothing makes a better first impression than a good headshot photo and two local photographers want to help those out of work make that first impression a good one.
Enter “10,000 Headshots,” an initiative of Headshot Booker and Brookfield Properties, that will provide 10,000 unemployed Americans nationwide with a complimentary, professional headshot to include with their resumes and post to job sites such as LinkedIn.
More than 200 photographers will participate across all 50 states, creating pop-up studios at nearly every Brookfield retail location nationwide.
Two Phoenixville-based photographers, Jim McAndrew Photography and Gary Walens Photography, will participate, along with two Lancaster photographers, and will be among those offering the service free of charge to anyone who is out of work.
Jim McAndrew Photography
provides professional business headshots, actor headshots, branding images and model portfolio images.
Gary Walens Photography specializes in business and actor headshots.
“Our community, like so many others, was hit hard by COVID-19 and we were looking for ways to help our neighbors get back on their feet,” said McAndrew.
He noted that, according to LinkedIn, people who include headshots receive 21 times more profile views and nine times more “connection” requests.
“We heard about what Headshot Booker and Brookfield Properties were doing across the country and wanted to be a part of it,” said McAndrew. “We are excited and grateful to be able to contribute to such a great initiative.”
The base price for a highquality, professional headshot starts around $250, which equates to more than $2.5 million in collective services these photographers will provide through this initiative.
The four photographers will be producing the complimentary headshots on Wednesday, July 22 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Brookfield Property at Park City Center, 142 Park City Center, Lancaster.
Complimentary headshots are open to anyone currently unemployed, but participants are asked to visit HeadshotBooker.com for details and schedule a time to be photographed. Headshots will be provided to participants on site through event photo sharing platform SpotMyPhotos.