On a normal day, 5th Ave is filled with people wandering in and out of shops. Right in the heart of Pelham, the community bustles with local industries. But, due to the devastating pandemic, businesses are now faced with a brand new set of regulations by which to abide. Across the board, all small businesses have had to find ways to readjust to meet guidelines and ensure safety.

Local hair salon owner, Rita Marie, from RitaMarie Salon says her business focuses heavily on the customer. Though she is focused on catering to individual needs, this pandemic has made it difficult for her and her business to thrive in that aspect. Following social distancing guidelines in an enclosed space is not easy. For a hair salon, COVID-19 has made it incredibly difficult to keep a steady business running.

Andre Dahdal of Wolfs Lane Deli also says COVID-19 impacted his business very badly. 

“We’re still not even up to 60% yet,” Dahdal said.

Mr. Dahdal expressed that the first sign of change was when schools went fully virtual. A lot of the deli’s customers come from the school, teachers and students alike, so when the schools shuttered from March to June of this year, the effects were severe.

Other local businesses faced similar situations.

As people started to fear coming inside of Villagio’s, Frank Presta ,the Italian restaurant’s owner, realized how much this pandemic would change the industry. Much like the Wolfs Lane Deli, schools closing impacted his business immensely. 

 “When teachers and students stopped coming to both pizza and restaurant sides for lunch, it impacted his business and workers negatively,” Presta said.

In such a small town, local customers are a necessity. Without them, a restaurant simply can not thrive 

At Jcafe, owner Mustafa Kazagiqi said 80% of his business is down, causing him to downsize from a staff of 8-9 employees to 1. 

On another note, some businesses have actually seen more revenue coming in.

For instance, Lorette Graham of Artistic Manner Flower Shop and Greenhouse, says business has been better than ever.

“We sold a lot of plants, we sold a lot of flowers… people wanted to make their homes happy,” Graham said.

COVID-19 has impacted everyone in Pelham, but as the holiday season gets closer and the possibility of further shoutdowns or restrictions imposed by Governor Cuomo loom, it is more vital than ever that the community continues to support local businesses.