Many businesses in the Ponte Vedra Beach area have taken a significant hit from coronavirus shutdowns. Social distancing, reduced operation hours and canceled events have come hard and fast.
Most afficted are those in the tourism industry, who felt the effects only hours after officials started using the word, “pandemic.”
The Hilton Garden Inn in Ponte Vedra Beach saw an immediate influx of cancellations after THE PLAYERS announced an abrupt ending one day after the tournament started.
According to general manager Chuck Schoonmaker, immediately after official word was released, Hilton honored complete refunds for cancellations on bookings 30 days out. Prior to THE PLAYERS, the hotel’s 127 rooms were occupied. Currently, the Hilton is operating on approximately 25-30 rooms, or at 20% occupancy.
For the guests they have, the Hilton has ramped up its cleanliness standards, wiping down all hard surfaces immediately after use and/or every hour. Every surface in the hotel, including elevator buttons, room service carts, chairs, tables and counters are all disinfected hourly by staff, whether or not they have been used.
In addition, Schoonmaker said the Hilton is currently working to accommodate guests by offering a new personal shopping service. It will include grocery shopping and restaurant pick-up orders for those staying at the hotel, to ensure they are safe and to give them a way to practice social distance.
Kathleen Floryan, a real estate broker in the area, said the housing market has yet to show a significant hit, but she is “going forward with caution.”
“The Board of Realtors hasn’t stopped caravans,” Floryan said. “Currently, I am disinfecting between groups during open houses but I’m still getting requests for showings. Luckily, I do most of my business online.”
Some small businesses are working to adapt to social distancing by offering new methods of shopping and deals on their products.
V Pizza announced through their Facebook page that they are implementing even stricter cleaning guidelines for employees and are now offering to run take-out orders to customers’ cars.
Trasca & Co Eatery offers curbside service as well. Additionally, they are now offering free delivery from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with a $25 purchase and free delivery on their “Grab and Go” meals from 2-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
According to Karina Coryell, co-owner, the restaurant is also doing “Pop-Ups” in local neighborhoods, so residents don’t even have to leave their block. Coryell urges anyone interested in having a Trasca pop-up to contact her with suggestions.
While local businesses are working to adapt to the new economic climate of a pandemic world, they are still seeing a reduction of customers, because many people aren’t leaving their homes. What is most distressing is that nobody knows when the pandemic will end.
Area businesses in the meantime encourage area residents to shop locally.
