Gov. Wolf orders 'non-life-sustaining' businesses to close physical locations to halt coronavirus spread

Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all “non-life-sustaining” businesses in Pennsylvania to close Thursday night in an effort to slow the spread of covid-19.

The order took effect at 8 p.m. Businesses that refuse to close down will face “enforcement actions” beginning at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

Grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies, beer distributors, bakeries and auto parts stores are among those businesses permitted to stay open.

“Earlier this week I mandated all restaurants and bars close their dining facilities and offer only to-go options, and I asked all nonessential businesses to close,” Wolf said in a video statement. “I had hoped for voluntary compliance so our public safety officials could focus on assisting with the crisis. Unfortunately we have not seen full compliance. We have no time to lose.”

Pennsylvania reported its first death related to coronavirus Wednesday, an adult from Northampton County.

The state has seen a sharp rise in cases over the past two days, with the total statewide case count reaching 185 Thursday – a 39% increase from the previous day.

Here is a list of industries that may and may not continue to operate with a physical location, issued by Wolf’s office:

UPDATED - Industry Operatio... by Governor Tom Wolf on Scribd

Businesses react

Reaction was mixed among small-business owners who have to close, while others were trying to determine whether they could continue to operate online only.

Car dealers, laundry services and dry cleaners are among the businesses that must close. Laundromats were considered essential and can remain open, the governor’s office clarified Friday.

“Unfortunately, it’s tax time, which is a busy month for us,” said Kirk Rettger, owner of Choice Auto Sales in Murrysville.

The business includes both an auto repair and body shop, as well as a dealership and detail shop. Rettger said he’s working to decide which parts of the business must shut down.

“We have different locations so we’re going to shut down the sales facilities and see about keeping the others open,” he said. “With our repair shop, if we aren’t able to get supplies, there’s no point in staying open. I’ve talked to my vendors and they’re trying to figure this out as well. So we’ll see what ends up happening.”

Troy Owen owns the Liberty Tax Service franchise in New Kensington. Tax preparation businesses are among those that must close.

“If the governor feels that’s what needs to be done for the betterment of the public as a whole, I’m feeling we should probably all concede to that,” he said. “At the same time a lot of people are losing their livelihood because of the governor’s order, but again, that’s for the greater good and the bigger picture.”

Owen said the governor’s order has the potential to be “catastrophic” for a seasonal business such as his.

“I have more concern for a lot of my business clients,” he said. “Just today I was able to talk to a couple business owners that are clients. They were expressing how they have no income.

“It’s not like they can apply for unemployment, they’re self-employed — in the beauty industry, massage therapists, personal trainers, the list goes on and on.

“They’re like, ‘Wow, this is unprecedented for us.’ They have no income. My concern is more for them right now. I’m seeing it first hand as they’re experiencing it first hand.”

Owen said he has about 13 employees, who will continue working on clients’ tax returns remotely from home. He noted that while tax returns are, for now, still due by April 15, the deadline for payments has been extended 90 days to July 15.

“We’re going to do everything that we can to try to get them through this filing season,” he said. “As long as the IRS remains open and the filing deadline is still April 15, we will be available one way or another to prepare clients’ tax returns.”

Tamara Zimmers, who owns Nu Way Coin Operated Laundry in Greensburg with her husband, Baughn, said the order could put her out of business.

“We can’t ever recover,” she said. “They’re saying two weeks. I understand that. But my thing is how do I know it’s going to be two weeks? What if it turns out to be a month or until July?”

She said that without the income of the laundromat, she does not know how she will pay bills for the business or at home.

“It ain’t fair,” Zimmers said. “What do they want people to do? Go around with no clean clothes?

Other businesses, like the Scrub Shack in Westmoreland Mall, do not have plans on how to stay afloat during the order. Instead, manager Heide Torock, whose parents own the business, said they are working on finding different ways to send scrubs to healthcare workers, like promoting their online shop and sending packages to area hospitals.

She added that she was not surprised by the order, and that she was expecting it.

“They need their scrubs so regardless, we’ll try and get them to them as quickly as possible,” Torock said.

For April Dzik, who works as a nurse in Allegheny County, the order could help stop the spread of the virus.

Dzik, 48, of Hempfield, said, “People are realizing how serious it is. … The reason things should be closed is to keep our healthcare workers safe.”

She added, “It feels like a lot of people aren’t taking it seriously. They don’t think what’s happening in Italy will happen here.”

Kenny Wright, 67, works at Laundry Time Shadyside. Wright said the 24-hour laundry is an important service in the community, where a lot of people don’t have their own washer/dryer.

A closure will cause a pile up of not only clothes, but expenses, Wright said.

“It’ll hurt a lot of people, including me,” he said. “I don’t know. I need the job.”

Joe DeCroo, of Buffalo Township, operates Plaza Laundry in Harrison and the Springdale Laundromat. He was unaware of the governor’s order when reached Thursday evening.

“It seems like a lot of overkill,” he said. But, he added, “You have to err on the safe side.”

DeCroo said his previous understanding had been that laundromats were considered essential businesses that could stay open. “There are a lot of people washing clothes just to sanitize things,” he said. “It provides a service to the community.”

DeCroo said the order won’t threaten to put him out of business.

“We’re well capitalized,” he said.

Carol Kinkela, owner of Carabella fashion boutique in Oakmont, said her store has not been open to customers since Monday. She hopes to continue fulfilling mail orders during the new shutdown regulations.

“I certainly don’t want to go against the law,” said Kinkela as she read down the list of businesses ordered to close Thursday. “ We are very happy to do our part to flatten the curve (of the pandemic). We are all in this together. You just don’t want anybody to get sick.“

Kinkel is hoping that she can continue to sell online under “nonstore retailers” category that allows sales though electronic shopping and by mail order.

An Oakmont craft store owner had similar feelings about a tough situation. Yarns by Design manager Natalie Belmont also said her customers have not been permitted inside since Monday, and they are looking into whether online orders can continue.

“Everybody feels bad, but we have to do it for everybody’s safety,“ said Belmont. “I understand. I get it.“

Most transportation still OK

Scheduled air, rail, water and truck transportation is permitted to operate, as are bus, taxi and urban transit systems.

Charter buses are not permitted to operate.

Hotels, motels stay open

Hotels and motels are permitted to stay open, according to a statement from the governor’s press office clarifying the initial order.

A woman who answered the phone at the Ace Hotel in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood said the hotel is occupied and has remained open, and a spokesperson for the hotel chain declined to comment.

Similarly, a person answering the phone for Hampton Inn in Downtown Pittsburgh said the hotel has remained open, but declined to answer further questions.

An employee working at the front desk at the Hampton Inn in Harmar said that hotel has remained open as well.

It is not immediately clear whether pet supply stores will be required to close, said George Leone Jr., owner of Leone Animal Supply, which has locations in Murrysville and Wexford.

His shops will close at 8 p.m. tonight, even though they’re busy.

“If it’s warranted, it’s warranted,” Leone said. “What can we do? They may know some things that we don’t.”

Local and state enforcement

The governor’s order directs state and local agencies to enforce the closure order.

Enforcement actions could include citations, fines or license suspensions. Businesses may also lose the ability to receive disaster relief if they do not comply.

“I will be working with local officials, permitting authorities and others to enforce mandatory closures,” Wolf said. “We will be using every tool possible to ensure that we are mitigating the spread of covid-19. Restaurants and bars must cease all dine-in activities, or they face citations, fines or license suspensions.”

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board started enforcing mandated closures of bars and restaurants that continue to serve on-premises food and alcohol Wednesday night.

Any licensee that fails to comply with this mandate now risks being issued a citation by the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement and could have its license suspended.

Carry-out sales of food and beverages are still permitted.

Other state agencies that will be enforcing the governor’s order include the state departments of health and agriculture, along with Pennsylvania State Police.

Local officials may use their resources to enforce closure orders within their jurisdictions, according to a statement from Wolf’s office.

Allegheny County officials are reviewing the order, a county spokesperson said.

Wolf said he considered the impact this decision would have on business owners and workers who are worried about the financial repercussion of a closure, but decided to move forward with it in order to focus on saving lives.

Small businesses that have lost revenue as a result of the coronavirus pandemic will be able to apply for low-interest loans now that Pennsylvania has received a disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“Until we have a vaccine it is important to practice social distancing. However, these measures must be balanced against their costs,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a Pittsburgh-based infectious disease and critical care physician. “For many individuals, your business is what sustains their life and it becomes very hard to draw a distinction between what is life-sustaining and what is not.”

Staff writers by Jamie Martines, Michael DiVittorio, Brian C. Rittmeyer, Megan Guza and Megan Tomasic contributed.

Note: This story was updated to reflect a clarification from the governor’s office about laundromats not being included in the shutdown.