Jersey Shore arcade says it won’t survive the summer if business can’t reopen soon

A Jersey Shore arcade says that the business won’t survive the summer if it cannot reopen soon.

News 12 Staff

Jun 11, 2020, 12:01 AM

Updated 1,580 days ago

Share:

A Jersey Shore arcade says that the business won’t survive the summer if it cannot reopen soon.
Our Endless Summer in Ship Bottom is known for two things – arcade games and ice cream. But general manager Chris Wood says that at least 80% of the business comes from the arcade, which is currently shut down because of COVID-19.
Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday announced more reopening plans, but said that amusement and water parks and arcades must remain closed.
“I understand amusement parks and I understand water parks. You’re talking about hundreds of people in and out through all sorts of surfaces,” says Wood. “The limit they put on the amount of inside retails yesterday was 25% or 50 people, whatever is less. That would put us at about 25 people in here at a time, which is kind of generally what we do.”
The owners of the arcade have installed hand sanitizing stations around the arcade and will also be assigning one worker to make sure that games are wiped down after every use.
Photos: Your Coronavirus Pandemic Experience
undefined

“We’re going to be doing alternating games on and off so that there is space between our games. We’re trying to think of the best way to do it possible,” says Wood.
Wood says that the arcade has been able to open its ice cream window on weekends which has brought in some revenue. But he says that without an answer on when arcades can reopen, he is worried that the business could fold.
“This is our family’s bread and butter. This is how we make our money and if this isn’t open, I don’t know how we survive the summer,” Wood says.
Outdoor arcades games, like those typically found on boardwalks, can reopen. The governor has released safety and sanitizing guidelines for the operators to follow.