Ready, set, shop
By KRISTIE LINDEN
klinden@yourmvi.com
The Mon Valley was open for business Friday after a long period of COVID-19 lockdown.
Tara Bottino, who owns Just 4 You Gift Shop in Monongahela, said she had a few customers throughout the day Friday and she was happy to see them.
“It was good to see the cars outside and just good to get out of the house. I’m just happy to get out of the house and be free,” Bottino said. “I had some foot traffic today.”
Her gift shop missed out on Easter as well as Mother’s Day, which is an important occasion for her business due to the number of cards sold. But she spent time Friday arranging a Father’s Day display in hopes of getting right back into it.
“Hopefully, the customers know we’re open and we have cleaned every inch of this space,” Bottino said.
She has used the down time to scrub the store from top to bottom and wants her customers to know she’s made it safe for them. She provides hand sanitizer at the cash register as well.
“I think if people are smart, we’ll be fine,” Bottino said. “If we wear masks, stay home if we’re sick, wash our hands and use hand sanitizer, we’ll be fine. I think we’ll be fine in Washington County because we were smart the whole time.”
At Prima Diva Boutique in Charleroi, Karen Wise was eager to start shopping.
“I’ve been missing it very much,” said Wise of Carroll Township. “When I walk in, it’s like ‘Cheers!’ Everybody knows my name.”
Wise said she was just glad to be around people again. She has been off work for months as a flight attendant and won’t return until June.
Prima Diva Boutique is her favorite store and Wise said it just felt “joyful to be out again” and to be able to go in a store and walk around as opposed to waiting for a curbside pickup.
Prima Diva owner Daneen Troup said Friday was so much fun that she almost took a video of herself simply turning on the store’s lights and music again for the first time.
Troup said she had a steady flow of customers throughout the day that kept her busy, but not overwhelmed, and it was a perfect first day back.
“I can’t tell you how wonderful it was,” Troup said. “The only thing that made me sad is not seeing their smiles because of the masks.”
At Sparkles by Shell in Monongahela, owner Michelle DeHosse said she has been operating for a few weeks. She couldn’t afford to lose her business of 15 years by waiting until the yellow phase came to Washington County. But Friday brought a different vibe to town.
“We were pretty busy, steady,” DeHosse said. “A lot of people feel better coming in and getting their orders. It’s a big sigh of relief. It has been a very good day.”
Maryellen Hankosky of Finleyville was shopping for face masks at Sparkles by Shell and said Friday was the first time she’s been out since the lockdown began.
“I resent it,” Hankosky said. “I can’t go anywhere I want to go, but they opened the liquor stores.”
DeHosse said Monongahela was busy in front of her business on West Main Street as well.
“There were a lot of people out walking on the sidewalks,” DeHosse said. “I wish the salons could open, too.”
Cases
There have now been 60,622 cases of coronavirus in the state, including 986 new cases since Thursday.
There were 124 new deaths reported for a total of 4,342 fatalities due to the virus. The state Department of Health said 35 of those new deaths occurred in the last few days and 89 are part of the department’s reconciliation of data over the past several weeks.
Allegheny County now has 1,582 cases, an increase of 31 patients. There were two new deaths reported and that total is now 141.
In Fayette County, there were no new cases or deaths reported. Those totals remain at 87 and four respectively.
Washington County saw no new cases or deaths, and those totals are 129 and four respectively.
Westmoreland County reported one new case, so that total is 423. According to the DOH, there were no new deaths, leaving that total at 32. Westmoreland County Coroner Ken Bacha also reports no additional deaths, and the total he is tracking remains at 32.
