Businesses soldier on through crisis

We all have to be careful during this time, as the news is changing by the hour.”

David Friedman, President, Hewlett-Woodmere Business Association

With the number of coronavirus cases in Nassau County increasing, Five Towns business owners and organizations are trying to maintain a positive outlook while dealing with unavoidable declines in revenue.

Local and state governments have put initiatives in place to mitigate the pandemic. On Monday, the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut announced that all bars and dine-in restaurants in the states would close, though takeout service would still be available. Gyms, movie theaters, casinos and racetracks were also closed.

In the Five Towns, the villages of Lawrence and Cedarhurst declared a state of emergency on Sunday and Monday, respectively, that called for the public to avoid using places of assembly, including restaurants and houses of worship.

Even with the pandemic, Liane Feuer, owner of Haber Travel Service in Lawrence, said that February and March are typically a slower time for her business. “From the time of Purim to Passover, we’re usually not too busy, since people wait until after Passover to book trips for the fall and winter,” said Feuer, who has owned the business since 1985. “That’s been the way of the world for this agency over the years.” Purim was March 9-10, and Passover begins April 8.

Feuer said she was taking a wait-and-see approach to the situation, but remained upbeat. “I will have a better idea after Passover of where we’re at in terms of business,” she said. “This agency has been through events that have affected business, such as 9/11, the Zika virus epidemic and the Persian Gulf war.”

While different in scope from the coronavirus outbreak, the Sept. 11 attacks impacted the agency’s business for a short period, Feuer noted. “We lost some business initially, since people were afraid to get on a plane,” she said. “It took a few months, but our clients came back to us.”

Hewlett-Woodmere Business Association President David Friedman said that businesses in the two communities have remained positive. “We have recommended to our business owners that anyone who is able to work remotely should do so,” Friedman said. “We all have some concerns about health and safety, but our businesses are following guidelines that mirror what the CDC is outlining,” he added, referring to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Friedman acknowledged that the association would continue to cooperate with any further government-mandated closings. “We all have to be careful during this time, as the news is changing by the hour,” he said. “I reiterated to our businesses and residents that if you’re feeling any symptoms, don’t go to work or shopping.”

Teri Schure, executive director of the Cedarhurst Business Improvement District, emphasized that circumstances are constantly changing. “We’re taking things minute by minute at this point,” she said. “This is a fluid situation, and we will keep following government agency mandates that are put in place.” The BID collects an assessment of the village tax on commercial property and supports businesses.

Village Trustee Ari Brown posted a list of Cedarhurst restaurants that deliver on Facebook, and Friedman posted a similar list on HWBA’s Facebook page. One of the restaurants still delivering is Pantano’s Gourmet in Hewlett, and manager Colleen Rivera said it is operating on its regular hours. “We still have our full staff working here at the moment,” Rivera said. “We’re taking every precaution possible during this process, such as having everybody wearing gloves and using antibacterial wipes on our tables.”

Rivera acknowledged that business would decline, but said she was staying positive. “We’re planning to stay open until we’re no longer able to be,” she said.

At John F. Kennedy International Airport, businesses are also being adversely affected by the outbreak. More than likely, sales will continue to drop, because of the European Union travel ban imposed by President Trump.

U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks and State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, Democrats who both represent districts that include JFK, sent a letter on March 11 to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the airport, asking it to amend rental agreements and provide temporary financial relief to the businesses that have laid off employees and seen sales drop, including International Shoppes, which owns roughly 20 duty-free stores at the airport. The family-owned company has more than 500 employees at JFK and nearly 100 at its Valley Stream warehouse.

“As coronavirus spreads, we urge the Port Authority to take any reasonable measures to help operators to stay in business during the short-term turmoil,” Meeks and Kaminsky wrote. “In these difficult and unprecedented times, we must work together to ensure that we emerge from this stronger and intact, and to prevent undue negative consequences when possible.”

Huntley A. Lawrence, director of the Port Authority’s Aviation Department, responded in a letter to Meeks and Kaminsky that the company agency had not made any decisions on questions like rent adjustments.

“People are understandably concerned about this,” said Feuer, of Haber Travel. “You just have to take a deep breath and deal with it. I think we’ll eventually get through this regardless of how long it takes.”

Jeffrey Bessen contributed to this story.