Back to business, but not as usual

(Editor's note: Much of the nation has been shut down during the past two-plus months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But now the economy is reopening, and businesses of all types are quickly ramping up for what they hope will be a busy summer season that will return them to some sense of normalcy. To help mark the reopening and tell the positive, meaningful stories of how we're all rebuilding after a very uncertain time, today we're launching the first part of an ongoing weekly series titled "Reopening." Each week we'll delve into a different aspect of the reopening, how local businesses are dealing with it and the positive impact it's having on our communities. The first installment focuses on a state-by-state look, across our region, of where we are in the reopening process.)

While the national toll for deaths related to CVOID-19 eclipsed 100,000 last week, states across the country currently find themselves in various stages of their respective reopening plans, which has proven to be a sign of optimism from local leaders that the outbreak is trending in a positive direction.

OHIO

Businesses across the Buckeye State have reopened via the "Responsible RestartOhio" plan, and Gov. Mike DeWine lifted the mandatory stay-at-home order May 19.

Manufacturing and distribution companies and retail services have reopened, but staff is required to wear face coverings, conduct daily health assessments and maintain cleaning procedures.

Last Tuesday, gyms and fitness centers were allowed to reopen and baseball and softball teams will be allowed to play, as long as they follow guidelines set by the Ohio Department of Health.

Child care providers and day camps were allowed to reopen as of Sunday with reduced numbers of children. Catering and banquet facilities can open again today and are limited to 300 guests with similar guidelines to restaurants.

Justin Phillips, owner of Six More Miles Tattoo Saloon in Norwalk, said when his shop was shut down, he received no government assistance, so he welcomed the ability to reopen with open arms.

"It's a breath of fresh air and a relief," he said. "We needed this, our families needed this. Every business needs to do their part to make sure this doesn't happen again."

WEST VIRGINIA

West Virginia continues its reopening this week, as the Mountain State enters week six of Gov. Jim Justice's "comeback" plan.

The state's five casinos were allowed to open Friday. In the last week pools, limited video lottery operations and other businesses saw their first opportunity to open since March.

Also last week, museums and visitor centers could reopen, along with state park cabins and lodges -- for in-state visitors only -- and bars, with capacity reduced by 50 percent.

Wayne Waldeck, co-owner of the Blennerhassett Hotel in downtown Parkersburg, said the lounge opened Thursday to go along with indoor dining, which resumed with a reduced capacity and tables spaced so that chairs were 6 feet apart when pulled out.

Waldeck said he's been surprised with the amount of customers they've seen since reopening, which he attributes to safety practices like servers wearing masks and gloves. A different employee clears the table or, if that's not possible, the server puts on an additional pair of gloves "so there's never any cross-contamination," he said.

"People are bringing (older) mothers and fathers in because they feel safe," Waldeck said.

The hotel has been offering outdoor dining for weeks, and it remains popular with the weather warming up, Waldeck said. But he noted cooler temperatures didn't exactly discourage people either.

"It was colder than blazes a couple nights but people just wanted to get out," he said.

While the hotel side of the business took a hit when travel restrictions were in place, Waldeck said they've recently had guests from Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Columbus spending Friday and Saturday nights.

"On the weekend, we're really booking up," he said, suggesting the lack of a high number of cases in Wood County can make people feel better about traveling to the area. "We've been delighted."

When Waldeck and Lee Rector announced their purchase of the hotel last fall, they highlighted plans to establish a world-class spa at the site.

"We were all ready to go" when the pandemic started slowing and shutting activity down, he said. "Now that we're reopened, it's back on the front burner."

PENNSYLVANIA

The Keystone State, for one, is in the process of reopening based on positive case numbers, which are still high in more densely populated regions. Gov. Tom Wolf's color-coded reopening plan consists of red, yellow and green phases.

On Friday, Wolf lifted most of the state's pandemic restrictions in 16 counties, including most of the area around Pittsburgh. It's an area that includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Clinton, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Lycoming, Mercer, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland.

In the green phase, overnight camps and organized youth sports can operate, while restaurants and bars, salons and barber shops, gyms, theaters, malls and casinos can open at half of capacity. Other businesses serving the public in a building or defined area can only operate at as much as 75 percent of capacity.

People will still be asked to wear masks in public, and businesses must enforce social distancing requirements, while concerts, sporting events and other large gatherings are restricted to under 250 people.

The change goes into effect this coming Friday.

Jeff Kotula, president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, said that if businesses want to move into the green phase, the social distancing measures and "healthy practices" that they've been maintaining the last two months will need to continue. He said customers will want to feel safe when they begin patronizing businesses again.

"We understand that businesses, especially small businesses, are eager to reopen and welcome their customers back," Kotula said. "And while that is the ultimate goal, we have counseled our businesses to open based upon customer demand for their products and services. This may take some time as customers need to feel safe to patronize businesses again, but it will be beneficial to both the business and customers in the long-term."