Watertown Business Coalition Seeks to Help Local Businesses

The following announcement was sent out by the Watertown Business Coalition:

Dear Watertown Business Community –

Certainly, these are unprecedented times. 

At the same time that we are worried about the health of our loved ones, the Coronavirus outbreak has also put the well-being of our businesses at risk. We are trying to pivot to adjust to this strange and constantly changing environment, while trying to find a way to keep paying our employees. The Watertown Business Coalition wants to help in any way we can. Hardest hit is our core group of followers: restaurants, retail, and “mom and pop” stores. We urge you to all be proactive.

Many Stores at Arsenal Yards Closing During Coronavirus, See How to Get Your Coffee

The recently opened Majestic 7 is one of several places at Arsenal Yards that will close temporarily due to the Coronavirus. Most of the retail stores at Watertown’s Arsenal Yards have closed due to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the area. The new cinema and two of the new restaurants were also impacted. On Friday, Marshalls announced it will be closing its Watertown store temporarily, Arsenal Yards announced on its Facebook page:

Starting today, Marshalls at Arsenal Yards will be closed for the next two weeks. TJX has made the decision to close all their stores globally to help prevent the further spread of the virus.

Open Houses Continuing This Weekend Around Watertown

See the open houses around Watertown this weekend. $1,050,000 – 158 Lovell Road, Single Family – Detached Colonial, 2,220 Living Area Sq. Ft., 9 Room, 3 Bedroom, 2 Full & 2 Half Bathroom, Open Houses: Saturday 11:30-1:30 Sunday 11:30-1:30

$835,000 – 126-128 Walnut St., Multi-family Home – 2 Family – 2 Units Up/Down, 2,382 Living Area Sq. Ft., 2 Units, 12 Total Rooms, 4 Total Bedrooms, Open House: Sunday 11:30-12:30

$865,000 – 94 Stoneleigh Road, Single Family – Detached Garrison, 1,700 Living Area Sq. Ft., 7 Room, 3 Bedroom, 2 Full & 1 Half Bathroom, Sunday 1-4

$835,000 – 126-128 Walnut St., Multi-family Home – 2 Family – 2 Units Up/Down, 2,382 Living Area Sq.

More Supermarkets in & Around Watertown Offering Hours for Seniors, 1 Market Offering Delivery

Stop & Shop is not the only supermarket in the area offering special shopping hours for seniors in an effort to provide extra social distancing for those who could be more at risk if they got the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Some of Watertown’s local markets have added time for seniors to shop, or other ways for residents to access food and produce. Russo’s Market, 560 Pleasant St., has special hours for seniors from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.

Arax Market announced on its Facebook page: We are offering delivery for Watertown residents ONLY ($25 minimum). We will also do your shopping for you and you can come and pick it up. You can call (617-924-3399) or message us on Facebook or Instagram.We have been working round the clock to ensure all of our customers have fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, bread, dairy, and homemade prepared meals. Massis Bakery said on its Facebook page that its shelves are stocked, and it is open Monday through Saturday.

See How the Coronavirus Has Impacted Banks in Watertown

Some banks have closed their lobbies in response to the Coronavirus outbreak, others have cut back their hours and some, mostly the large banks, remain open with regular hours but with extra efforts to disinfect their branches. Watertown Savings Bank announced Wednesday that it will be closing its lobbies, but the drive-up locations are still open. It provided the following information:

All drive‑up services will remain open for bank transactions. If you use our drive‑up services, you will notice that we are taking extra precautions — such as having our team wear protective gloves — to ensure your and our employees’ safety. While prudent, this makes certain transactions, like counting money, somewhat harder and some transactions may take longer.

Grocery Store Chain Opening Early to Allow Older Customers to Shop

Supermarket chain Stop & Shop announced that it will soon start opening early to allow shoppers 60 and older to get their groceries as part of their efforts for social distancing due to the Coronavirus. Stop & Shop said it would open early to allow give older people to shop before the broader public can start shopping. “To support this group, beginning Thursday, March 19th, all Stop & Shop stores will open earlier in order to service only customers who are age 60 and over from 6:00a.m.-7:30a.m. daily.” “We’re making the decision to offer this every day of the week to allow for community members in this age category to shop in a less crowded environment, which better enables social distancing. They’ll also be shopping prior to any other customers entering.”