Gym-goers in North Bergen lined up around the building in the rain after waiting nearly six months to work out again at Crunch Fitness.
Closed since March because of the coronavirus pandemic, gyms reopened Tuesday when Gov. Phil Murphy gave the executive order to reopen at 25% capacity. Gym-goers must wear masks, maintained six feet of space and equipment must be cleaned after every use.
Along with gyms, restaurants can allow indoor dining starting Friday, and movie theaters are reopening, too, both with restrictions.
“It’s been crazy,” Assistant General Manager Yamile Henao said. “We have a line literally around the corner and these are just members trying to get in and people trying to sign up. We are pleasantly surprised how much positivity there is about the gym right now.”
She said the gym served 1,000 people a day before the shutdown, but for now they are limiting customers to a one-hour workout and allowing only 65 people at a time inside.
In light of the situation, Henao said everybody has been understanding and respectful of the whole process.
But not all gyms are experiencing the same turnout. Jersey City Barbell Gym has seen a low turnout so far, Manager Jordan Alhelo said. He believes in time it will change as gym-goers adjust to new rules.
“I think people are still scared to come into the gym,” Alhelo said.
Murphy said Monday restaurants will be able to open for indoor dining on Friday at 25% capacity, but Carmine Testa, owner of Carmine’s Pizza Factory in Jersey City, isn’t exactly rushing to open his doors to customers.
The last time Murphy said restaurants could reopen dining rooms, the governor reversed course just days before the 4th of July weekend. Murphy blamed crowds of “knuckeheads” at expanded outdoor bars and restaurants not adhering to COVID-19 guidelines for changing his mind.
Testa said he got burned last month after ordering extra food and bringing back some employees before Murphy again banned indoor dining. This time he is going to wait until Tuesday to see how things go and if Murphy sticks with it.
“Myself and a lot of restaurants made the mistake where we brought back one or two employees, we ordered a little more food from our distributors, you know, we were gearing up,” Testa said. “…We are not going to open for indoor come Friday because we want to see what happens first.”
Lighthorse Tavern co-owner Ron Smith said he and his fellow owner Bill Gray are rushing to get things in order to prepare for indoor dining.
“We just don’t know exactly what day after Friday that we will open … but we are obviously glad at least we are getting some resolution,” Smith said. “Our bigger business obviously are the residents that live here.”
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September 03, 2020 at 05:07AM
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North Bergen gym welcomes back members; restaurant owner taking wait-and-see approach - NJ.com
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