Lazaro Aleman
ECB Publishing, Inc.
“Slammed!”
That's the word that Hal Bennett, owner and operator of Johnston's Meat Market on West Washington Street, uses to describe the level of activity that his business has been experiencing of late.
The coronavirus outbreak may have slowed or shuttered a great many businesses, but others,
especially in the food industry, it has boosted. And Johnston's, which bills itself as a “meat destination” and offers a wide variety of meats and meat boxes, is a prime example. Johnston's has been doing a thriving business ever since the coronavirus outbreak began several weeks ago.
“It's more than we can do,” Bennett says of the pace of business these days. “It's unbelievable, the number of people who are buying.”
He picks up a newly-minted 12-page booklet that briefly tells about the establishment's 94 year history, its processing and cooking methods and its custom services. Not to mention its many offerings – from its 25 different meat boxes (described as pre-selected packages designed to give customers the right amount of meat') to per-the-pound purchases of individual items, including vegetables.
Bennett notes that he had 13,000 copies of the booklets printed, intending to mail them out. Only he never got around to mailing a single one.
“I just started handing them out to customers,” he says. “Right now, we're looking at all the cylinders pumping. We're getting new people from all around. They're coming from seven counties because of the booklet.”
Notwithstanding the rush (his business is now operating six days a week, 14 hours a day, he says), Bennett's not worried about running out of products.
“I planned for it,” he says of the crisis created by the coronavirus outbreak and the temporary depletion of supplies that occurred at many food stores because of consumers' panic buying. “I triple stocked when I first heard about this thing.”
For proof, Bennett invites this reporter into a rear freezer room where hang 50 cow carcasses, each waiting to be carved into the various cuts of meat.
“We got plenty,” Bennett says.
He notes that soon after word started circulating that the governor might impose a stay-at-home order, his place was swamped with people, some coming from as far away as Miami, where Johnston's products have long enjoyed a following.
“That's when I decided to put in the curbside pickup,” Bennett says.
Customers must now wait outside the store, where Johnston's employees meet them, take their orders and bring out the products requested.
“I've been blessed with business,” Bennett says, even as he recognizes that such is not the case for many others of the community's businesses.
Tupelo's Bakery and Cafe near the courthouse circle is another of the local businesses that has been doing relatively well, notwithstanding the coronavirus crisis that has shut down so many other operations.
A popular eatery established in 2007, Tupelo's offers a daily selection of fresh-baked breads and pastries, along with a varied selection of wholesome soups and sandwiches made of organic ingredients, many of them locally grown.
“It's going good,” says Kim Davis, owner and operator. “The regular customers are really pulling through.”
She notes that the restaurant is doing only curbside service and carryouts at present.
Customers can call to place their orders and pay over the phone to get the curbside service; or they can enter the cafe to pay and pick up their orders.
“We are using the utmost care to provide good food in a clean, safe environment,” Davis says.
She notes that the community and other of the still operating nonfood businesses have really rallied to support her and other of the local eating establishments by ordering catered lunches every so often.
“I was little surprised, because I didn't know what to expect at first,” Davis says of the local support.