TRENTON, NJ – The gauntlet has been laid down for New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy as nearly 1,000 businesses reportedly have signed on to reopen on June 1st. The businesses include gyms, nail salons, barbershops and more. “With over 100 gym locations together not including the rest of the businesses like nail and hair salons and barbershops, we will all open our doors together at 9am on June 1 like we have said from day 1! This is a decision that was made by this entire group not just one person or two people. Collectively this what we have decided together,” said organizer Tommy Trilivas.
As Murphy continues to extend the New Jersey small business lockdown, May is coming to an end and business owners have to pay another round of rent and utilities for retail and commercial space going unused by their business. Many are facing bankruptcy and permanent closure. This week, Murphy relaxed restrictions on businesses to allow professional sports teams to operate. Murphy is the owner of the SkyBlue women’s professional soccer team which operates in New Jersey.
“As a small business owner you have no rent forgiveness you have nothing that is in favor of a business owner at this time and I really feel that this was very important a lot of reasons why I put the group together but primarily,” Trilivas said. “We’ve tried to put a safety protocol together we wanted to be able to have the general public feel safe in our businesses when they come back I mean most of the time they are watching the news are being brainwashed to be safe constantly.”
“Our backs are into the corner we have two choices right now it’s either try your best to survive or you just fold up and lose everything that you’ve built and that’s not what we’re planning on doing.” Trivilas said. “So June first we put together a hundred gyms businesses so right now we’ve been in touch with about four to five hundred other salons and barber shops they want to join us on June 1st”
If you are a business owner, you can join the group New Jersey Business Coalition Opening 6/1/2020.