Help Save The Philadelphia Restaurant Industry! March With Us To City Hall On December 9!

‘Philly Restaurants Are Closing Because Of COVID-19 Restrictions!’

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It’s real and it’s scary for so many in the restaurant industry!

Philly Pride and Philly Love are instilled throughout many Philadelphia neighborhoods thanks to the many small restaurants and bars, that bring people of all races together, who have a daily impact on each other and on the economy. Some businesses have been passed down through generations, while others have just started their new adventures into the Philly food scene. No matter how you slice and dice it, many are facing drastic measures as their livelihoods are being threatened and face the inevitable – the end of what was once called life. 

Many owners will lose every dime and penny they sank into their businesses. Then you have those employees, many who have only known the restaurant industry most of their life, who now face a dark unknown. This has become a harsh reality thanks to the decisions of our local leaders, who have gone after the restaurant industry, while leaving other businesses unscathed. 

There are many people leading the charge, talking to those at the Capital, and trying to make many understand the actual facts while using common sense. 

Two of those people are Gene Blum, who has a degree in the Culinary Arts and now specializes in catering and event logistics, and Matt Rossi, who is President of the Philly Mobile Food Association and owner of Nick’s Roast Beef in Northeast Philadelphia. Both are very qualified when it comes to the operations of restaurants, and who are now trying to make those understand the difference between indoor dining and those creating outdoor dining under tents and or igloos. But keep in mind, the frustration of many in the restaurant industry is not about the indoor dining aspect, but how and why other businesses are being treated better than the restaurant industry. There is no consistency in the direction of Governor Wolfe and Mayor Kenney, and they seem to come down hard on restaurants, as opposed to big box stores. And if you know anything about the restaurant industry, they are already regulated harshly by so many. So this article gives you some idea and proof that the virus is found from larger stores than the restaurants themselves.

As I gathered information, this is what Gene Blum explained to me regarding what Governor Wolfe and Mayor Kenney are trying to accomplish and how he views what should be done. Gene Blum says:

“Walmart, the Home Depot and Target‘s staff have experienced the largest shares of the state’s retail outbreaks. Local news stations are reporting spikes in cases because of big box retailers. Meanwhile national media, Governor Wolf and Governor Murphy keep ignoring this news and try to blame it on empty restaurants.

While restaurants are being shut down or driven down to 25% occupancy, massively packed Big Box Retailers are spreading the virus, in some cases these stores are causing 55% of the spread.

The phrase, “every life counts,” is why restaurants were shut down or heavily restricted. Meanwhile, big box retailers operate with very little restriction and no inspections. Do lives not count in the retail environment?

PA and LA County contact tracing confirmed restaurants are 3% of the spread – maximum. If big box retailers are 55% of the spread, elected officials, why are you so quiet? Read: A Tale of Two Pandemics: Big Box Stores Rake In Record Profits While Small Businesses Fold

In short, 3% of the cases that have been traced through contact tracing show a visit to a restaurant in the previous 14 days, but many also indicated they visited other businesses. Therefore, those 3% cannot link restaurants as the sole cause!

 

55 percent of cases have linked big box stores to the outbreak according to recent studies.

 

Restaurants are one of the most regulated businesses with inspections by health departments, liquor control, licenses and inspections and more. We are socially distancing, sanitizing and through the nature of our engineering, have air flow that is much higher than retail and big box stores with a constant inflow of fresh air by the hoods.

 

Retail stores in Philadelphia can operate at 75 %, yet restaurants cannot have inside dining.

 

The real issue with dining is who you dine with and not dining out.

 

Restaurants:

• Provide a safe, sanitized, and COVID certified environment that is inspected by health department officials and liquor agents.
• Require masks, social distancing and that they sanitize all guest touch points.
• Have high quality HVAC systems, and fresh make up air systems to help new outside air circulate into the building. Limit the size and duration of gatherings, lunch or dinner.
• Have limited hours and capacity, which prevents people from being exposed to others for too long of a time or in a small place.

 

There is a court testimony about how Wolfe does not use science. ~Testimony ~

 

What are you doing Governor Wolf and Governor Murphy? Where is the outrage Democratic leaders?

Bring signs, flags, masks … and YOUR voice! Tell friends, family, industry people and more! Share this with everyone!

Event Info

Contacting Gene Blum: ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~