Stores Opening For Curbside Pickup: Thank Chester Borough's Mayor

CHESTER, NJ - She waited to see if she could gain traction on her plea to allow non-essential retailers to open for curbside delivery amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But when Chester Borough Mayor Janet Hoven wasn't getting answers she took her case straight to Gov. Phil Murphy and Wednesday was rewarded for her efforts.

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Murphy announced he will allow non-essential retail to reopen, such as clothing and department stores, but with restrictions.

Those stores will only be allowed to do only online and phone ordering and curbside pick up, he said.

No customers will be allowed back into non-essential stores. "They will have to continue placing orders in advance," he said.

"We can get small businesses back up and running in a manner that continues to protect both workers and shoppers," he said.

Murphy also credited Hoven for making a "compelling" case in pushing to reopen retail businesses.

The businesses will be able to open in Main Streets across New Jersey on Monday.

"So happy for our retailers," Hoven said after the announcement.

It Began Local

The new coronavirus, or COVID-19, outbreak brought businesses large and small to their knees in recent weeks and Hoven wanted help in saving her town's 90-year-old main street.

In a weekly conference call with members of Governor Phil Murphy's staff, Hoven said she asked for Murphy to consider lifting the prohibition of what are referred to as "non-essential retailers" of providing curbside delivery of their goods.

"I'll characterize the response I received as not empathetic or positive. In fact, I was so fired up that I shot an email off to all three of the staffers that very evening presenting a plan to simply let the retailers deliver goods to customers cars; place the goods in the back seat, wear masks, and require goods to be prepaid," Hoven said.

Hoven asked that residents and business owners email the Governor and the staffers if they agreed that the curbside restriction should be lifted from these retailers.

Despite her and Chester Township Mayor Marcia Asdal's pleas on the weekly Governor's Staff call, there was "no movement on a change."

Text Message

Hoven had mat with Murphy in May 2018 when Chester hosted a meeting of mayors of towns smaller than 5,000. Afterwards Murphy texted Hoven to compliment the town and offered to assist her in any way if he could in the future.

So Hoven took him up on the offer and shot him a text.

"I explained that I was afraid that some stores won't reopen and that these are truly Mom and Pop stores, many owned by residents of both Chesters," Hoven said. "I asked him to please allow for curbside pick-up and asked him to contact Rob Field from his staff as Rob has the plan we all sent to him in our emails."

Hoven said she told Murphy that the stores are not "non-essential" to the store owner's family or to our community.

"Understanding that he is in a difficult position, I asked that he please ease the difficulty the retailers are having in this small way," she said.

And Murphy responded within 15 minutes.

"We traded texts, and he said he completely understands and that he takes this request very seriously," Hoven said. "I texted that I would let you all know his response, and he texted back that the request had 'already gone to the team.'"

A little over a week later, Murphy made the announcement.

Hoven said that the Chester Main Street, and the businesses there, have been the heart of the Borough.

"Through the years it has been the home to the Borough Hall, Post Office, professional offices, a grocery store or two, a hardware store, a barber shop, just about anything you can imagine that provided goods and services to the residents of Chester and beyond," Hoven said.

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