VOLUME 34 NUMBER 13 ■ NJBIZ.COM Part of the network MARCH 29, 2021 ■ $2.00 HEALTH CARE POWER 50 The most infl uential men and women leading the industry that keeps New Jerseyans strong, active and full of life. SECTION BEGINS ON PAGE 10 EDWIN TORRES/ NJ GOVERNOR’S OFFICE For address or name corrections, fax label to (732) 846-0421 Also inside With recreational adult use of cannabis on the horizon, experts convened by NJBIZ offer guidance to business owners and executives on what they can expect from the state and local governments. Page 6 HOW TO REACH US Vol. 34 | No. 13 MAILING ADDRESS NJBIZ, 220 DAVIDSON AVE., SUITE 122 SOMERSET, NJ 08873 PHONE (732) 246-7677 THE METUCHEN METHOD FAX (732) 846-0421 REPRINTS For licensing, reprints, e-prints How the Middlesex County borough helped its downtown businesses survive COVID-19 and plaques, email Lisa Arnold at BY MATT FAZELPOOR [email protected] or call her direct @MATTYFAZNJ line at 717-323-5213. Authorization to photocopy articles for internal corporate or instructional use may be obtained from the Copyright. For photos, onathan Busch describes it as his most please see njbiz.com/photos difficult moment as Metuchen’s mayor. It was Sunday, March 15, 2020, and he had PUBLISHER J learned of CDC guidance suggesting that busi- Ken Kiczales [email protected] GENERAL MANAGER ness closures were imminent. Busch called AnnMarie Karczmit [email protected] an impromptu outdoor meeting with several downtown business owners and local leaders, ADVERTISING in front of Metuchen’s Borough Hall, to share SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES the harsh reality of the worsening pandemic. Penelope Spencer [email protected] Kirsten Rasky [email protected] “All of this became as real as ever to lead- ers throughout the community, and I think Ilene Roman [email protected] we had to really level with them,” Busch ex- EDITORIAL plained. “We had a sense that things were cas- EDITOR cading quickly. I had to look at these people Jeffrey Kanige [email protected] in the eye, who didn’t have the benefit of the MANAGING EDITOR data or information we were looking at and Linda Lindner [email protected] tell them, ‘life as you know it is going to be WEB EDITOR/SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR changing drastically almost immediately.’” Jessica Perry [email protected] The moment was also a sharp contrast STAFF WRITERS from the excitement felt just weeks earlier when - MATT FAZELPOOR Gabrielle Saulsbery [email protected] music legend Paul McCartney was spotted and Law/Food & Hospitality/Small Business photographed walking in downtown Metuchen. health and economic crisis. He set out to es- Kremer credits the mayor and other leaders Daniel J. Munoz [email protected] Busch stressed the vitality of the downtown tablish communications, identify partners for their efforts in protecting the borough’s busi- Government/Economic Development and how important it was to protect that asset and stakeholders and conduct outreach. His nesses. “In every way, the borough has stepped RESEARCHER against the existential threat that COVID-19 pre- efforts, which included visiting 50 businesses up and delivered, which makes it possible for Bethany Wiegand [email protected] sented. “I think everyone agrees that our down- and making more than 20 calls a day, ranged our businesses to fight on,” Kremer said. EVENTS town is our biggest asset,” Busch said. “Any per- from sharing information, coordinating with An example of this coordination came in Allison Morgart [email protected] son in the position of leadership in a community borough officials, helping businesses create May 2020 when officials passed a resolution like ours has to take their biggest asset seriously.” new promotions and ways to adapt and in- that eased restrictions, allowing businesses to CIRCULATION For subscriptions call 1-877-615-9536. Isaac Kremer, who has served as Execu- novate and navigate the tricky CARES Act and expand outdoor dining and retail. The success The entire contents of this paper are copyrighted by BridgeTower tive Director of the Metuchen Downtown Al- NJEDA funding processes. The latter resulted of that program evolved into a full-time out- Media, with all rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without liance for the last four-plus years, recalled this in more than 130 businesses receiving nearly door dining area, which remains to this day, permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is defining moment in the Borough’s fight against $13 million in total funds. called the “New Streetery.” One lane of New prohibited. NJ Biz (USPS #3345) is published weekly except last week of April, two weeks in May, last week in June, first and COVID-19. “We had about two hours of notice “One of the most important things we do Street is closed to traffic with outdoor tents, last issues in July, week of Labor Day, week of Thanksgiving in to pull the businesses together and we knew that as an Alliance is to help knit together all the tables, chairs, light and heaters available to November, and last issue in December by BridgeTower Media, the shutdown was going to be imminent,” Kre- businesses in the community,” Kremer said. surrounding restaurants, provided by the MDA 1500 Paxton St. Harrisburg, PA 17104. The office of the mer explained. “So it was all about what can the “So that they realize ways that they’re con- via grants from the New Jersey Department of publisher is 220 Davidson Ave., Ste. 302, Somerset, NJ 08873. borough do? What can the Alliance do to help nected and they can benefit from being in this Community Affairs. In October, Kremer and To place orders, temporarily stop service, or to change your address, or to order back issues, or to inquire about billing or these businesses adapt, adjust and respond?” place, being close to one another.” the MDA helped secure that $655,000, which need technical support with login issues on our website: And they got to work. also provided direct funding assistance to nu- Phone: 877-615-9536 The following day, Gov. Phil Murphy signed FIGHTING ON merous downtown businesses. Email: [email protected] an executive order closing numerous business- The Metuchen Downtown Alliance, Alberto Buglione, owner of Mangia To- Mail: NJBIZ es, schools, imposing a curfew on non-essential which was created in 2016, is an all-volunteer scano, is especially grateful for the expansion Subscription Services retail stores, and limiting restaurants to just effort that has received National Main Street of outdoor dining, which he had been lobbying PO Box 1051 takeout and delivery service. While Metuchen’s accreditation. The Alliance has worked hand- for in years past. He said that both the borough Williamsport, PA 17703-9940 pandemic planning had begun well in advance in-glove with the borough to lay out and ex- and the Alliance have helped and supported If your newspaper is damaged, missing or late: Call 877- of the shutdown, the fateful Sunday meeting ecute a vision of both short and long-term de- restaurants with anything they needed. 615-9536 or email [email protected]. If your issue frequently arrives late, contact your letter carrier or your resulted in several important steps. Among the velopment in Metuchen’s downtown. “I’m thankful to the borough because we local postmaster. programs that came out of that meeting were While that relationship has resulted call them, they respond to us,” Buglione said. POSTMASTER: Electronic ACS service requested. Send the Metuchen Delivers campaign, the desig- in a development boom that started before “We have some issues going on, they resolve address changes to NJ Biz, Subscription Services, PO Box 1051 nation of several downtown parking spots for COVID-19, with more than 120 business it for us. I think they’ve been very helpful for Williamsport, PA 17703-9940. Periodical postage paid at curbside pickup to support local restaurants starts since 2016, it has also paid dividends our business, especially the Metuchen Down- Harrisburg, PA 17107 with additional entry offices in Phila- delphia, PA 19104 and Easton MD 21601. Subscription rate being forced to switch to all takeout and deliv- in combatting the pandemic. The planning, town Alliance. They did a great job.” is $79 for 1 year. ery, and Feeding the Front Lines, which raised coordination, and communication allowed Busch and Kremer pointed out that their money to buy food from local spots for frontline for swift decision-making and expedited ac- COVID-19 efforts would be meaningless workers and area shelters. tion. “We began to anticipate it and I don’t without the businesses buying in and adapt- Kremer also tapped into his experience think anybody initially realized how serious ing, and most importantly, without the sup- as a FEMA contractor during Hurricane Ka- this was going to be, but we knew enough to port of the Metuchen community. Early in the trina to assist his more than 350 Alliance understand that this was going to impact the pandemic, the rallying cry of #OneMetuchen members through this once-in-a-generation fabric of our small businesses,” Busch said. See METUCHEN on page 8 2 March 29, 2021 NJBIZ www.njbiz.com CS MagnetAd NJBiz10.75x14.qxp 3/22/21 11:52 AM Page 1 FOUR TIMES IN A ROW CentraState has achieved Magnet recognition, the most prestigious designation for nursing excellence—joining an elite group of less than 2% of hospitals nationwide to have received this distinction four consecutive times. Magnet recognition is earned by meeting rigorous standards and by demonstrating professional excellence and high-quality patient care. These attributes have never been more evident than in the heroic efforts of our nurses during these challenging times.