Well, Let's Talk About It...
Well, I really wanted to avoid discussing COVID-19…mainly because my brain actually hurts from thinking about it and worrying about it. But since this online space is the story of PJP, there’s really no way to ignore a significant part of what is going on in our world right now.
We, probably like you, are worried. (Well, Jeanne is much more zen than I am - she always stays pretty calm, while I specialize in overanalyzing everything.) The whole world feels completely odd right now, doesn’t it? I don’t like that we are fighting about toilet paper and Lysol and I certainly don’t like that everything in our lives feels completely uncertain. So what about PJP in a pandemic? Here’s some thoughts:
We have always prided ourselves in running the cleanest commercial kitchen in Columbia. I would challenge Jeanne’s cleanliness standards against anyone in the world, so not much in the way we operate daily has changed. We are wiping down our iPads each hour with Clorox wipes. Oh, and we are wiping down the cooler and freezer door handles and front door handles hourly as well. Honestly, we won’t stop this when the virus has been contained…it just seems like a good cleanliness practice for all time, right?
And of course, any employee not feeling 100% should not come to work. I can’t believe it takes a national emergency and a pandemic for us all to agree as a nation that this is common sense.
We have no plans to close PJP at this time…or really ever, unless there is an executive order requiring it. We don’t offer seating and we rarely ever have more than six to eight people in this 2,100 square foot space. We’ve always been more than happy to deliver your purchases directly to your car, so never hesitate to call us and ask. We’ve posted a cute letter board in our front window with our phone number.
I’m a member of several online retailing groups and whether to voluntarily close or not is a hot topic. Some say it is socially responsible to close and others fear appearing greedy by staying open. Uh…a small business is someone’s livelihood and an invaluable part of American culture and economic structure, so it isn’t greedy. I haven’t heard anyone call Target or Costco greedy during all of this, even though big box stores are profiting from the panic to buy every anti-microbial solution available on the market. Advocating for small business and taking measures to ensure small business safely stays open isn’t greedy…it is supporting millions of families.
And finally, if we have to be a small business in a pandemic, well then we can’t think of a better place to be than in Columbia. We so appreciate all of your support. This community is the very best at being mindful of our small businesses and not forgetting we are here when it feels like the whole world is distracted and confused by what comes next. I don’t doubt that we will all take care of each other and see this through. (Hey, I sounded like Jeanne right there!)
