Florissant Businesses Keeping Calm,

Carrying On with Many Services to retain Sales

by Sandra Olmsted

Dining rooms closed; doors locked; hours limited; online services only; and contact-free service encouraged while we all try to remain calm at home and keep the faith. Each business owner, just like each individual and family, has to determine how to stay afloat during this pandemic and lockdown, and many have opted to stay open if they meet the exemptions.

While many businesses have closed for the duration, some are open under limited circumstances. Many businesses have limited hours, fewer workers, and special requests for customers, clients, and patients, and these advertisers are representative of how businesses are continuing to serve the public in these trying times.

CHURCHES

John Knox Presbyterian, like most churches, have temporarily suspended services for the time being. Some churches have online services, and St. Mark’s United Methodist has them daily on their Facebook page. There are “parking lot” and “drive-in” church services available.

SPECIALITY SERVICES

Chism Cleaners continues cleaning police uniforms; however, with the reduced volume, they run their machines less, currently open from 8-1, have no same day service, and ask people to call ahead. The owner said that during this “natural disaster,” everyone should “do what they can to keep healthy”

The Hutchens, Hutchens-Stygar, and Stygar funeral centers tell families that no more than 10 people are allowed for making arrangements and visitations. The Centers leave it up to families to decide who should attend and when. Hutchens’ website <hutchensfuneralhomes.com> has helpful information about cemeteries and churches.

ITS Computers asks people to call ahead and make appointment because walk-ins may be asked to wait if two customers are in the business. They wipe down everything after every customer and practicing social distancing. Moellering & Niehoff have limited hours and ask customers call for an appointment.

Citizen’s National Bank like many St. Louis area banks remains open as dictated by federal regulations. In order to protect their employees and customers and to maintain continuity of service, they moved most services to drive up windows, started work-from-home programs, and separated workers to prevent entire departments .They even had time for an employee fundraiser to support the St. Louis Area Food Bank.

HOME REPAIR AND IMPROVEMENT

Archway Clean Sweep, Inc. is working emergencies for fireplace problems and prefer to do outside work on resealing chimneys and critter-proving them. They are riding out the lockdown and hope everyone helps flatten the COVID 19 curve.

Florissant Glass is taking emergency calls but prefers to work in unoccupied buildings. Because they have at-risk family members, they are screening customers, including walk-ins, for illness before interacting.

Handyman True Value Hardware is maintaining regular hour despite having employees out for pre-existing and health concerns. In consideration of employees and their families, both locations promote social distancing with plexiglass partitions at counters, so they can stay open..

KAY-BEE Electric, an electrical contractor and essential business, focuses on social distancing and cleaning tools, etc. between service calls to protect the crews it still has working. They continue serving the community by handling emergency repairs and non-contact service and by scheduling non-emergency calls for the future.”

CROSS KEY VACUUM has curb-side pickup and delivery for customers at their Flower Valley location

HEALTH CARE

Blue Sky Nutrition had been very busy and their suppliers and stocks are in good shape to continue serving the public, and they also keep up on all the current information for alternative prevention and treatment.

North County Foot & Ankle allows only one patient in the office at a time and ask patients to wait in their cars. When ready, employees will bring patients in from the cars. Their hours are limited and doors are locked .

The Resler-Kerber Optometry is only seeing emergencies, including broken glasses, and are limiting their hours to 10-2 M T Th F and the number of patients to one inside at a time. Although doing no routine eye exams, they offer curbside pickup contacts and glasses.

RESTAURANTS AND FOOD PROVIDERS

Catering to You is closed because the business focuses on medium and large gatherings greater, and they are just riding the lockdown out. They can’t do any kind of curbside service because their minimum order is for 25 people or more and gatherings are limited to 10 or less.

Cannoli’s has shortened their hours, and customers should call first.

Cugino’s currently offers only curbside service and a limited menu. Their hours are 11am to 8pm Sun-Wed and until 9 pm Thurs-Sat. Customers should order online at dinecuginos.com.

Pirrone’s Pizza is taking carry out orders, and people are encouraged to order and pay online to minimize contact. Amore’s Pizza have been doing on-line, phone in and restaurant pickup also. Hendel’s Restaurant, at first was closed completely, but now doing call in orders of their menus for pickup in the patio area

   AUTO REPAIR

Gary’s Auto Service offers “contact-free service” by using the dropbox at all times and closed their lobby. They sterilize cars before and after service, wear gloves, and ask people to call for check in and to pay by phone.

Imported Car Repair, according to the owner, aims to help everybody that they can and offers no waiting appointments to control his area waiting room and to make everyone comfortable.

Ken’s Auto Repair and Towing and the new KDC Auto Service In Old Town Florissant are serving the public with their normal operation and services

In addition to the concerns about the health of their families, friends, workers, and customers, small business owners have many concerns about the survival of their businesses.

During this crisis and after, we all need to support our local businesses to keep our neighborhoods and cities strong.

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