Philadelphia Small Businesses Facing Hurdles, Struggles Due To COVID-19 Restrictions

Dan Koob reports.

REPORTING LIVE, MATT PETRILLOFOR CBS-3 "EYEWITNESS NEWS".WE WILL SEE YOU THEN.LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES ARESHARING THEIR STRUGGLES WITH"EYEWITNESS NEWS", THEY AREFACING MANY HURDLES BECAUSE OFTHE VARIOUS SHUT DOWNS.DAN KOOB JOINS WITH US THEIRSTORY, DAN.REPORTER: WHILE EVERYONE ISPRACTICING THEIR SOCIALDISTANCING AND STOCKING UP ATBIG BOX STORES THOSE BIG BOXSTORES ARE HIRING MORE HELPBUT LOCAL BUSINESSES LIKE THISONE HERE IN FISHTOWN SAID THEYARE FEELING THE PINCH.PEOPLE PEAKED INSIDE ATRIVER WARD PRODUCE TO FINEPOPULAR CORNER STORE CLOSED ONTHURSDAY AS OWNER VINCENTFANASO HAS BEEN FORCED TOREASSESS HOW TO RUN HIS STORE.IT IS SINGLE HARDEST DAY OFOWNING A BUSINESS.REPORTER: WEDNESDAY HEANNOUNCED ON INSTAGRAM HE HADFIRED OVER 20 EMPLOYEES,TWO-THIRDS RDS OF HIS STAFF.STORE HAD PNEUMONIA OBSERVINGSOCIAL DISTANCING AND NOTALLOWED MORE THAN FIVESHOPPERS INSIDE AT A TIME BUTREDUCING FOOT TRAFFIC COMPAREDWITH CANCELLATIONS AND CAPS ONORDERS FROM DISTRIBUTORS HASPUT HIM IN A DIFFICULTPOSITION.INCREASINGLY FAMILIAR STORYFOR LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES.WE'RING TO GO STAY OPENEDAND BEING A RESOURCE FOR THECOMMUNITY AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.IF IT TAKES ME RUNNING IT BYMYSELF I PLAN TO TO SO.AGO ME STRUGGLES STAFFINGAND STOCKING.THEY ARE HIRING IMMEDIATELYACROSS 164 AREA STORES.ONE MANAGER TELLS CBS-3ANTICIPATING ADDING BETWEEN 20AND 30 PEOPLE IN HIS STOREALONE.JUXTAPOSITION IS A STRUGGLEFOR FANASO.THAT IS IRRESPONSIBLE FORBIGGER COMPANIES TO ACT ASALMOST GIANT PETRI DISHES.BUT HE SAID HE WILLCONTINUE TO FIGHT.THIS IS SO REAL.YOU THOUGH WE'RE EXPERIENCINGTONIGHT OUR OWN TYPE OF MICROCLIMATE WITHIN MY SMALLBUSINESS BUT IT IS AFFECTINGEVERYONE.IT WILL BE OPENED TOMORROWON FRIDAY, BUT WITH A MUCHSMALLER STAFF.