Desperation grows for restaurants, retail as recovery in sight
From Delaware Business Times
“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
That’s how Dominic Marino, general manager of Gallucio’s Italian Restaurant, recalled his decision this week to dress as Santa Claus and walk the streets near his Trolley Square-area business to drum up some attention from prospective customers.
The days at the restaurant are a hit-or-miss experience due to state-imposed limitations to takeout or delivery service only, Marino said. On Mondays, it’s common for the restaurant to ring up only $200 in total sales.
“If we don’t open up soon, we will be forced to shut our doors permanently,” he said.
Marino isn’t alone.
With Delaware’s economy still largely shutdown amid the spread of the COVID-19 virus, many small business owners in the state are growing weary of the lack of customers and fearing that their doors may never reopen.
A late April survey of 285 Delaware businesses found that one in four believed they only had enough cash to last another four weeks and more than 80% of respondents reported declining revenues. Workers have already suffered, with the survey by the state’s economic development agency Delaware Prosperity Partnership (DPP) and the state’s chambers of commerce finding that 1,900 workers had been furloughed, laid off or terminated by respondents amid the pandemic, accounting for about 17% of their total workforces.
Gov. John Carney has faced increasing public pressure to begin easing restrictions on businesses as the lockdown lingers on. This month, he has opened Delaware’s public beaches, community pools, ice cream shops, and salons and barbershops under strict limitations, but many of those hit hardest, including restaurants, small retail shops and hotels, are still waiting for significant help.