LWN0326

MARCH 26, 2020
WEEKLYNEWS.NET - 978-532-5880 5
Senior Center
is closed
due to
coronavirus
PHOTO | SPENSER HASAK
The Lynnfield Senior Center has been closed out of an
“abundance of concern” amid the outbreak of COVID-19.
A very quiet MarketStreet
PHOTOS | SPENSER HASAK
The parking lot at MarketStreet was nearly empty with close to all of the shops closed due to
the outbreak of COVID-19.
By Anne Marie Tobin
How has the coronavirus affected
the popular MarketStreet
shopping center?
It depends on where you look.
At Whole Foods Market, it’s
business as usual with shoppers
coming and going all day long,
crowding into the store as they
check off their grocery lists.
The rest of the center, however,
has been reduced to a virtual
ghost town.
A drive through MarketStreet
on a bright and sunny Sunday
afternoon during the lunch hour
normally brings with it an exasperating
search for a place to
park.
Not so this past weekend
when the most common sights
weren’t consumers, but pedestrians,
joggers and even a resourceful
young boy playing
street hockey - alone - in the
middle of the street near an eerily
empty Apple Store.
With limited traffic,
MarketStreet is nonetheless
actively encouraging the
public to support its restaurants
that are still open
with its latest promotion,
#TheGreatAmericanTakeout,
which it announced via email
on Tuesday. Patrons are asked
to order takeout or delivery
from their favorite eatery and
post to social media.
MarketStreet sent out a mass
email last week with detailed
information on takeout and
delivery options at several eateries
to “help keep your family
fueled and comfortable during
this difficult time.”
At the time, there were eight
restaurants offering takeout
or delivery options, but by
Sunday, the list had dwindled
down to six.
Wahlburgers has taken a
unique approach, including a
five dollar gift card with every
food purchase and has said as
recently as Monday it is committed
to remaining open even
after Gov. Charlie Baker issued
a “stay-at-home” advisory
Monday.
“We want to give something
back to the community during
this tough time in appreciation
for what it has given to us,”
said General Manager Laura
Scotina. “We feel that we are
thankful to be able to have such
great support in all the communities
we serve. We are trying
to hang in there and stay open
so our employees can get their
hours they need to support their
families in this difficult time.”
Scotina added that business
seemed to have picked up of late.
Other MarketStreet restaurants
still open are Boloco,
J.P.Licks, Otto Pizza, sweetgreen
and Yard House.
Dale and Pam Sarno of
Boston said they were looking
for a quiet place on Saturday
to relax after a week of being
cooped up in their Downtown
Crossing condominium.
“We came out here figuring
it would be a good way to get
out of the house after a week
inside,” said Dale Sarno as the
couple enjoyed a takeout pizza
from Otto’s Pizza on a nearby
bench. “I didn’t expect it would
be this empty, though. I really
worry about the mom and pops
stores and businesses and how
they can survive something like
this.”
Business was light over the
weekend at the Polka Dog
Bakery, which looked to be the
only other retailer with open
doors.
Store attendant Debbie
Donovan said while business
is down, the number of dogwalkers
at MarketStreet seems
to be going up.
“There are a lot of people who
are now walking dogs here and
some do wander into the store,”
Donovan said. “Right now, we
are assessing things day-to-day
and likely will be considering
reduced hours at some point if
things don’t improve.”
Over at Whole Foods, it was
business as usual, with a twist.
Lynn resident Auris Blanc, a
Prime delivery driver, said his
business has increased, citing
the most common items his customers
are ordering are frozen
food items, bread and milk,
adding he is taking added safety
precautions.
“I use gloves and wear a
mask and don’t allow any physical
contact,” he said. “I just
deliver the package to the door
and that’s it.”
Noelia Gutierrez said her orders
increased significantly as
the week went on.
“It’s definitely been busier
this week with things changing
nearly every day,” said
Gutierrez, a Methuen resident.
“I feel badly about it because so
many people are hurting these
days, but the demand is obviously
there.”
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