Concerns grow in Ocean City, Upper Township, mainland, Cape May County
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
Local business owners are struggling due to mandated shutdowns, limited hours and fewer customers amid the COVID-19 crisis, and it’s not clear when things will get better — for those that even survive.
Gov. Phil Murphy ordered all nonessential businesses closed and mandated an 8 p.m. shutdown for others starting March 16.
Michele Gillian, executive director of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, said only restaurants, take-out food providers and pharmacies are open and that the retail establishments are suffering.
“It’s going to be devastating for small businesses. It’s our opening, right at Easter time. From Palm Sunday most business open seven days a week until the block party in the fall. Downtown, they are everyday businesses and they are shut down. When you have zeroes coming in, you can’t pay your bills,” she said. “Small businesses are hard enough to run and make successful without a challenge like this.”
She said the chamber met with U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew and “voiced our concerns before the official closing.”
She said the business leaders told Van Drew how important it is for aid “to come to Main Street businesses instead of Wall Street businesses.”
The Small Business Administration is offering loans to qualified businesses, but Gillian said that will not be enough to help many survive, noting that some are still recovering from Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
“These business can’t afford loans, they need grants,” she said. “People can’t afford those loans and the stringent requirements are almost impossible to qualify for when talking about Main Street businesses.”
Gillian said small businesses can have a good week and a bad week, but “zeroes are just too much for them to handle.”
She noted that many Boardwalk businesses “have invested so much to open their business this week and receiving nothing back is too difficult.”
“All winter long they prepare their business, either painting, infrastructure. They are always improving so people will come and they have good products and good services. They are investing thousands thinking they are going to get the money back and they’re not. They’re not even open.”
“We just want this to flatten out and everyone stay safe, but want it to be over in two weeks so we can stay open for business,” she said.
SPBA: Hit hard; don’t write off summer yet
Somers Point Business Association President Chuck Westcott said all of the group’s members have been hit pretty hard, with nonessential retail being hit the hardest.
He said some local restaurants — such as Fitzpatrick’s Deli & Steakhouse, Charlie’s Bar and Restaurant and the Anchorage Tavern — have opted to close. Others, such as Josie Kelly’s Public House and Gregory’s Restaurant and Bar are “running with minimal staff to be able to afford it.”
“They are looking at the equation and wondering how they can stay open. Paying to have the lights on and kitchen running is a little dicey if you are doing only a couple of hundred (dollars) a day,” Westcott said.
He said for area bars and restaurants, the early closing mandate could not have happened at a worse time — the night before St. Patrick’s Day, which he called the biggest bar day of the year.
He said some members are fortunate that the inaugural Somers Paddy Crawl was held March 7, an event that provided Jitney transportation from noon to 5 p.m. among several establishments, with special offers and prizes.
“But it still doesn’t make up for the biggest day that everybody missed,” he said. “It’s just bad luck.”
He said the end of winter also is a bad time for business owners, who may not have much in cash reserves.
“It really comes down to time — how long is this going to last?” Westcott said. “If they tucked their tail for the winter and were good at minding cash, then they might be OK.”
He said the people who will really suffer are the businesses’ employees who are not making any money.
“I’m not sure what they are going to do,” he said, noting that the state is considering one-time payments to help hold people over. “But that doesn’t do much for owners who have to pay their own bills and business bills.”
Westcott said the real difficulty is the unknown length of the crisis.
“Each individual owner has a specific idea of how long they can tolerate (not making money),” he said. “You just gut it out, trim your sails as best as possible, conserve cash and hope you are still around when things get back to normal.”
He also noted that state regulations require invoices for alcohol be paid within 30 days, which could be a hardship for those local watering holes, “those sitting on lots of spirits, but have no revenue.”
He said there is a discussion at the state level to provide a waiver, giving those owners an extended time to pay.
“They were geared up for Tuesday and Tuesday didn’t happen,” he said, again referring to St. Patrick’s Day. “They are doing the best they can, offering takeout beer and wine with food, but it doesn’t address the volume they laid in for customers on St. Patty’s Day”
“It’s a horrible situation and you can’t blame anybody. Everybody is looking at their own tolerance and wondering how long they can hang on, and if they can’t, then what?”
Westcott said the SPBA is looking to the future, trying to decide what it will do when the crisis passes.
“Our biggest challenge is what we are going to do when we get the all clear. How do we help promote our businesses when things get back to normal?” he said. “But how do we know we are back to normal? When will they lift the quarantine?”
He did end on a positive note.
“It’s March, summer is a couple of months away. I don’t think we need to write off summer yet,” he said. “Hopefully when we get to July this will be just a bad memory without too many casualties in the business community.”
In the meantime, Westcott said the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce has started a thread on its Facebook page, Atlantic County Take Out and Delivery Options, where local businesses can post their hours, menus, specials and more to let the public know they are up and running.
“It’s an imperfect solution but has been working,” Westcott said.
The Somers Point Economic Development Advisory Commission (SPEDAC) encouraged everyone to shop safely and locally during these challenging times.
“To the safest extent possible, we encourage everyone to patronize Somers Point’s business owners and support them, whether by purchasing a gift card for future use, shopping online or placing a take-out food order from a local restaurant for your family to enjoy,” said Greg Sykora, SPEDAC chair.
UTBA: Patronize
local businesses
Upper Township Business Association President Jack Griffin said it is important to patronize local business that are open.
“During these difficult times, when many businesses are closed due to COVID-19, some remain open to serve you,” he said. “Service industry businesses may have employees working remotely and various restaurants may be providing pick-up or delivery options. We need to continue to support our local small businesses as much as possible. Your patronage to local small businesses will mean a great deal now and for their future.”
Griffin said the UTBA is helping its membership via social media.
“If a business has an announcement, we have the ability to send it to our database via email. We are actively using social media platforms to inform and share information to our followers,” he said.
Griffin said some of the UTBA’s events had to be postponed.
“We will be announcing new dates as well as do everything in our power, using all our resources we have, to help promote all our members so that they can get back onto solid ground,” he said. “We ask that everyone continue to be thoughtful, safe, supportive and follow guidelines. We will make it through this together.”
“The hardest-hit are our retail stores and restaurants and bars. Professional service businesses are for the most part working remotely while their offices are closed and able to service their customers online or by phone,” Griffin said.
He thinks UTBA members will survive by being innovative.
“There is a surge of promotions from our restaurants for take-out and delivery options, including curbside pickup. One retail store is having live online sales and is offering discounted gift certificates to use when the shop reopens. A pharmacy is offering car-side pickup. Others are open by appointment only,” he said. “Outside picnic tables are offered while waiting to enable social distancing. Drive-through service hours are extended. Free store pickup for online orders. Window service for ice cream. Pizza kits keep the kids busy and provide dinner, too.”
He urged everyone to support their hometown shops.
“Our local businesses are part of the heart of our community and they need your help. Over the course of the next few weeks, it’s important to support these businesses as they depend on local support for survival,” he said. “Across the country, many businesses won’t survive this crisis. Local businesses make our communities unique and thriving places to live and work, so let’s do our part to keep our local businesses in operation.
He suggested people purchase gift cards online to use later, buy take-out food from the restaurants that are open and freeze some for use later, continue to buy via online or phone and have it delivered and to use local professional services such as accountants, attorneys, banking and insurance providers.
Griffin said the UTBA is sharing members’ specific promotions through social media and is working on a new vehicle for sharing more efficiently and visually.
“We are a resource for who’s closed, open for business, hours, limitations and special offers. Promotion of our businesses continues on our website and social media,” he said.
CMC Chamber: Don’t
visit for next two weeks
The Cape May County Chamber of Commerce has joined the call from Cape May County government and Cape Regional Health System, asking second homeowners and transient visitors not to visit Cape May County for the next two weeks, or until April 1.
“We are hopeful that Cape May County will return to regular business sooner rather than later. However, during this challenging time, we must focus on taking care of our residents using the limited resources we have. This step is a difficult one for everyone involved, and one that we are anxious to reverse,” stated to Vicki Clark, president of the Cape May County Chamber. “I’ll be the first person to extend you a heart-felt ‘welcome back’ once we are past this crisis.”
In a news release, the chamber stated it has plans in place to support and promote the local business community.
“As of Friday, March 20, the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce staff will begin working remotely for health and safety reasons. Chamber staff are fully engaged and available via phone or email during normal business hours. The Visitors Center, located at 13 Crest Haven Road, Exit 11 on the Garden State Parkway, will also remain closed until a time that it is safe to reopen,” it stated.
“Working on behalf of the business community remains our primary focus, although under different circumstances and through innovative ways,” Clark said. “We want you to know that we are continuing to advocate for business and are communicating with our loyal visitors.”
Business groups worried for members’ futureA staff directory is available at capemaycountychamber.com or people can leave a voice message at (609) 465-7181. The chamber also has set up a resource webpage, capemaycountychamber.com/coronavirus, to provide information about business and employer concerns.