By Zachary Jones and Emily Miller
As you walk through the aisles of a
grocery store, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. It has most of its
usual products and employees that greet you as you come in. The only
difference, they are wearing gloves and masks and keeping a safe social
distance to ensure the health and safety of those around.
The coronavirus has led many businesses to
temporarily close or change their normal hours of business operation. Many have
adjusted hours and implemented new safety precautions. Health safety has had a
large impact on businesses and the public due to COVID-19.
“If
you are sick or are feeling sick we don’t want them to come in,” Vinnie Guercio,
manager at Guercio & Sons Inc, 250 Grant St., said.
The risk of being infected by the virus
has led many to wear gloves, masks, and practice social distancing. The
practice of social distancing is when people maintain a physical distance from
groups or individuals. The practice is used to help prevent the spread of
COVID-19.
“We
are all wearing masks and keeping our distance,” a manager at Cameron’s 24 hour
store, 1054 Elmwood Ave., said.
In order to battle the concerns about
spreading the virus, businesses are offering and encouraging home delivery.
“We’ve
always offered home delivery but now we are really advertising it and we also
now offer it to both the north and south town,” Guercio said.
Even with health concerns, closings, and
business changes, some businesses are continuing to push forward in these
uncertain times. Businesses have noticed a new trend in their customers’
shopping.
“People
are buying more when they come in then they usually do,” Jim Lorigo, owner of
Lorigo’s Meating Place, 185 Grant St., said.
The
trend of buying in bulk has had an influence on some businesses.
“Wholesale
business is down 90% but we've seen an increase in retail by about 50%,”
Guercio said.
But the few businesses that are open at
this time are seeing a difference in their community.
“Around
us, what we’ve noticed is it’s the small coffee shops that are really hurting,”
Guercio said.
Local businesses, like Lorigo’s Meating
Place, are facing difficulties in the uncertain future. With a number of
businesses closing down, Lorigo’s has lost some of its meat shipping business.
“A
few of the places I ship meat too are closed down so that's been an issue,”
Lorigo said.
While businesses are facing a number of
difficulties, their employees continue to work with flexibility. With some
employees being college students, businesses adjusted to losing workers as
schools shut down.
Businesses are also faced with the comfort
of their employees in the workplace. As employees, they encounter the public
and can potentially be exposed to COVID-19.
“In
terms of workers coming in, I really work with them. But even if people are
uncomfortable about coming in they just have to tell me and I’ll take them off
the schedule. Even with that though all my workers have been coming in and
doing their shifts,” Guercio said.
While the world further treads into
uncertain waters, it is unknown when businesses will be able to return to
normal. Even while facing difficulties, local businesses will continue to
support and be supported by the community.
