National Mom and Pop Business day hit hard by coronavirus pandemic
PHILADELPHIA - Sunday was supposed to be a day dedicated to supporting small businesses through National Mom and Pop Business Day. But as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the nation, many community staples have been forced to close their doors or radically change service.
In Philadelphia, many businesses are trying to stay afloat and comply with city and state orders. Like many cities and towns, Philadelphia has limited restaurants to delivery and take-out orders.
Fredrick Pugh, who is usually found inside Luna Cafe on Sunday morning, received his food in a brown bag six feet apart from employees.
"It's kind of weird to be like here you go, walk away, here's your food, but hopefully it will all end soon," Pugh said.
Nearby, Old City Coffee made similar adjustments that prioritize social distancing with contactless pickup.
"We take their order, prepare it, step back 6 feet, they pick it up," Founder Ruth Isaac said.
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Even with these measures in place, Isaac estimates that sales are down 80 percent. But faced with the harsh realities of COVD-19, Issac and many small business owners have remained resilient.
"I read somewhere, a quote from Rita Kahlo, the artist, 'we're able to withstand a lot more than we think we can'," Issac said.
Words to live by for the staff at Betty the Caterer in North Philadelphia. All of their events have been canceled, but they are still open.
"I know a lot of Kosher caterers are throwing in the towel right this second, we opted not to do that," Jeff Kalinsky said.
They recently started packaging their kosher food in meal containers and partnered with local synagogues to provide car pick-up sites for those who place orders. So far, they have had over 350 orders.
"The community response has been unbelievable, truly overwhelming, it's something we could've never fathomed," Kalinsky said.
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