Delaware Business Times digital edition brought to you by… Spotlight: Two downtown building sales offer hope for market and two large warehouses planned in New Castle May 26, 2020 | Vol. 7 • No. 11 | $2.00 | DelawareBusinessTimes.com 15, 16 A QUESTION Governor: Consumer OF TRUST confi dence key to reopening economy 13 Desperation grows for restaurants, retail as Phase 1 nears 4 Small businesses plead their case to Carney Pandemic reinforces to loosen rules prior to reopening need for downstate broadband 6 Dear Governor Carney State business organizations plea for governor to lighten restrictions 10-13 Spotlight: Two downtown building sales offer hope for market and two large warehouses planned in New Castle To sponsor the Delaware Business Times digital edition, May 26, 2020 | Vol. 7 • No. 11 | $2.00 | DelawareBusinessTimes.com 15, 16 contact: [email protected] A QUESTION Governor: Consumer OF TRUST confi dence key to reopening economy 13 Desperation grows for restaurants, retail as Phase 1 nears 4 Small businesses plead their case to Carney Pandemic reinforces to loosen rules prior to reopening need for downstate broadband 6 Dear Governor Carney State business organizations plea for governor to lighten restrictions 10-13 Spotlight: Two downtown building sales offer hope for market and two large warehouses planned in New Castle May 26, 2020 | Vol. 7 • No. 11 | $2.00 | DelawareBusinessTimes.com A QUESTION Governor: Consumer confi dence key to OF TRUST reopening economy 13 esperation grows for restaurants retail as Phase 1 nears 4 Small businesses plead their case to arney andemic reinforces to loosen rules prior to reopening need for downstate broadband 6 ear overnor arney State business organizations plea for governor to lighten restrictions 18 DOING BUSINESS IN THE NEW NORMAL Rebuilding Operations While Keeping Your Customers And Employees Safe presented by: Where to begin? What’s the right marketing message for your business right now? What cleaning protocols do you need to be aware of to keep everyone safe? Do you need to rethink the work environment, customer areas and traffic flow? These questions and more will be the topic of our next FREE webinar. SPEAKERs cheryl Ecton Michele A. schiavoni, apr, m.s. vicky newton CEO & Chairwoman Director, External Relations & Marketing Associate Principal Elite Building Services Delaware Prosperity Partnership Mitchell Associates Join us for a free live webinar! sponsored by: thursday june 4th | 11:00am 2 May 26, 2020 | DelawareBusinessTimes.com EDITORIAL Governor Carney: Give small business Founded 2014 A biweekly newspaper serving Delaware’s business community. a better chance for Phase 1 survival Vol. 7, No. 11 dated May 26, 2020 Copyright © 2020 by Today Media, all rights reserved. This newspaper or its trademarks may not be reproduced “If we don't start trusting our children, how will they letters we’re publishing are loud enough. in whole or in part in any form or by any means electronic ever become trustworthy?” The governor and other state officials have a week or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by – John Lithgow, Footloose (1984) after the holiday weekend to make the decision whether any information storage and retrieval system now known they should delay the June 1 targeted start of phase one. or hereafter invent without written permission from the e don’t normally open the newspaper with Publisher. For licensing, reprints, e-prints, plaques, We decided to talk more than most about the fine line an editorial, but we want to demonstrate our e-mail [email protected]. between protecting the public health and just dragging W support for small businesses that have become your feet on opening the state’s economy. Many businesses increasingly frustrated because they believe that Gov. are wondering if there’s much of a benefit to waiting John Carney views them as children who can’t be until a week after the holiday weekend to launch phase Group Publisher Robert F. Martinelli trusted. one. Gov. Carney does have an answer to that (again, Publisher Michael Reath In many cases, they don’t believe that he’s followed see page 13). Meanwhile, more small businesses will fall through on his promise, made during his initial Editor Peter Osborne even further behind the financial 8-ball. And while they coronavirus press conference on March 11, to “keep embrace the importance of testing employees and perhaps Associate Editor Jacob Owens citizens safe in the least restrictive way possible” – customers, they also wonder why there’s no clear plan for Reporter Katie Tabeling at least not as it relates to Delaware businesses. day-to-day workplace testing outside poultry processing If you're a restaurant, you're supposed to be happy Research, Digital, and Mike Rocheleau plants, and whether there’s an actual need for it. Engagement Editor that you can add a few outdoor chairs and tables and One of the big issues you’ll read about in this issue that you can open with 25% capacity, as opposed to Vice President of Charlie Tomlinson has to do with short-term rentals at the beach, where Business Development the 50% other states have already opened with. the restrictions force owners to refund (in most cases) If you’re a hotel, you have to turn away leisure pre-pandemic payments from out-of-state vacationers, Digital Sales & Karen Martinelli travelers while the hotel down the street (but just across Marketing Manager get commissions back from Realtors, and deal with the the Maryland state line) happily accepts the business. impact on mortgage payments. And that doesn’t even Multi Media Account Carol Houseal Unless, of course, you take the attitude that you’re not Executives Scott Comeaux take into account that they can’t even rent out those a cop and you’ll trust guests carrying beach gear who beach houses to in-state residents unless the agreement Programs & Event Coordinator Meaghan Daly say they’re in town on business. was signed prior to April 6. Production Manager Donna Hill If you’re a boutique clothing store that was first forced All of these outstanding issues nearly two months Art Director Chris Johnson to close, then was allowed curbside and appointment-only into the pandemic has led an increasing number of small service, only to see Walmart celebrate record first quarter businesses and industry organizations to ask whether Graphic Designers Eric Bolis earnings, you’re not exactly doing cartwheels when faced Shelby Mills the governor dislikes small business. (you can see a Rosalinda Rocco with being limited to 30% occupancy on June 1. sample beginning on page 10). We wholeheartedly believe in the governor’s mantra The numbers we see indicate we’ve flattened the Director of Digital Strategy Greg Mathias of “flatten the curve.” But we believe that mission should curve, but business owners still fear that the state is Publisher Emeritus Sam Waltz not include flattening the businesses of Delawareans, playing Lucy to our Charlie Brown with that football. Today Media, A Martinelli Holdings LLC some of which will not see 2021. Remember those declining hospitalization rates? Well, President Robert F. Martinelli We believe that he does not need to be as conservative the governor and Division of Public Health Director Dr. Secretary-Treasurer Richard Martinelli with the reopening plan as he's being. We understand Karyl Rattay are confident enough in those trends that In Memoriam that we're "rolling into Phase One" but it feels like last week started allowing hospitals to restart elective Chairman Angelo R. Martinelli (1927-2018) we're doing that with a boot on the tire. surgeries. There are some who think that was insulting Vice President Ralph A. Martinelli (1962-2019) The governor’s key metric for reopening – to small businesses and highlights the lack of a business Advertising Information hospitalization rates – has fallen from a high of 337 influence on decision-making. [email protected] on April 27 to 220 statewide on May 19 (including just It becomes a question of trust. Does Gov. Carney 302.504.1276 51 in the Sussex County hot zone) – and we attribute believe that small businesses can be trusted to do the Subscription Information that to expanded testing and education throughout the right thing (and frankly, if he hasn’t been inside a local DelawareBusinessTimes.com/subscribe-now state. But we’re scratching our heads and wondering Walmart lately, maybe he should be worrying about 800.849.8751 whether the real key decision metric is the strong 73% their commitment to cleanliness)? To submit press releases or story ideas of Delawareans who approve of the governor’s handling The messages of washing our hands, maintaining [email protected] of the pandemic, according to a Survey Monkey poll. safe social distancing, wearing a mask, and protecting Daily Newsletter We suspect that the governor sees small business the most vulnerable has been hammered home. And Sign up for our daily newsletter, delivered to your e-mail owners as part of the 27%, so picking up the pace really we embrace it. Of the other states that have reopened, inbox at DelawareBusinessTimes.com/Newsletter isn’t that big a deal. Maybe he thinks the crumbs he’s only a few have seen things get worse because most Events giving us are sufficient. As you’ll read on page 13, people care about others. The Delaware Business Times hosts a number of events he doesn’t see it that way and feels that he’s given We willl give the government credit where credit is each year. View the schedule and register for events business ample opportunity to provide guidance. due. Its new Covid-19 Customer Protection Standards at DelawareBusinessTimes.com/Events On May 19, we were copied on some letters to the feel like a step in the right direction, giving businesses governor from state legislators and industry associations, following the standards (using the program checklist) begging him to speed up his reopening of the economy a free window cling to put at their front entrance – one Delaware Business Times (USPS 21760, ISSN 2639-8087), before the arrival of Memorial Day weekend.