Small businesses in Western Pa. eager to reopen, but not sure how public will respond

Like thousands of other business owners, Kevin Miscik, owner of a Greensburg clothing store, has waited a long time to reopen in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.

“We lost all of Easter and part of the spring buying season and missed the beginning of the summer (buying) season,” said Miscik, owner of Lapels A Fine Men’s Clothier on South Pennsylvania Avenue.

But the store will reopen Friday, in time for the Memorial Day holiday.

Miscik was busy this week preparing to reopen on the day the governor is allowing stores like his to resume business, albeit under social distancing guidelines.

“We’ll be wearing a mask and have masks for customers if they need them. We’ll have hand sanitizers in the store as well.”

In Irwin, Lois Woleslagle was planning to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her paint and interior decorating store in March, but the coronavirus kicked those plans aside.

When the governor ordered contractors off the job in mid-March, he might as well have ordered Interiors by Woleslagle to close its doors.

“There are days when I get just one or two customers,” Woleslagle said. “Some days no one comes in.” That leaves Woleslagle alone in the store with the framed pictures of her husband in his Army uniform, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The photography business also was crushed by the requirements for social distancing and the shutdowns, and the concern over safety has Kelly L. Kern, a Hempfield photographer, hesitant about reopening.

“I don’t want to feel forced to reopen my business, when my work involves close contact and lack of protective gear,” Kern said. She also realizes some real estate clients may want to postpone photo shoots.

Kern, who opened her House of Jack Creations at the end of February, saw her work dry up as she was starting her business.

“Unfortunate timing,” Kern said. “Concern of spreading covid-19 stopped face-to-face interactions with clients and potential clients.”

Murrysville dermatologist Dr. Jeffrey Thompson’s office was closed to patients for nearly seven weeks, reopening last Monday with the requisite CDC-recommended safety measures in place: sneeze guards, hand sanitizer stations, limited waiting-room seating, no magazines, masks on staff and patients and temperature checks for anyone coming in the door.

“It’s been good,” Thompson said. “We ask everyone the standard covid questions. And it’s working very well. Patients have all been very understanding. They all want to talk about the virus, though, instead of their dermatology.”

Alan Lubay, owner of Vincent’s Custom Framing shop on Allegheny River Boulevard in Oakmont, said he can work safely in his store with the restrictions in place. He typically has only one or two people in the shop at a time.

Lubay said he has been able to get supplies for his business, so he hit the ground running.

“I’ve already had a few orders,” said Lubay, who has been in business for 32 years.

His big problem has been with the state Department of Labor and Industry, which he can’t contact by phone to get the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance he is eligible for as a self-employed worker.

“I’ve called for the past three weeks and I can’t get through. The line is always busy. My dream is that they (state) would set up a separate phone line” for workers like himself, Lubay said.

One of the local business owners who could not get part of the federal government’s $350 billion emergency lending program was Angela Furno, owner of Mr. Mike’s restaurant in Irwin.

“I’ve been in the queue since March 11,” and never got through to file an application before the money ran out, said Furno, who has been operating the business for 13 years. At one point, she was 1,054th in line, which would have required a wait of two hours on the phone, she said.

“This is a terrible time for small businesses,” and some restaurants will not reopen once the restrictions are lifted, Furno said.

For business owners trying to get back on their feet, it’s difficult to predict when the economy will bounce back, said Chris Briem, a regional economist with the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Urban and Social Research. But the longer the economic recession lasts, the worse it could get.

“There are too many unknowns,” Briem said.