Martha's Vineyard Store Owner: Staff Tired, Shop One At A Time

MARTHA'A VINEYARD, MA — Cronig's Market owner Steve Bernier is asking customers to help his staff by helping each other. That means starting Sunday he is closing the Vineyard Haven market on Sunday so that his weary staff can have some down time, and asking customers to limit their trips to the store each week while making sure only one family member enters the store each trip to help with social distancing orders on the island.

"We're healthy, and tired, and need to work more together," Bernier said in a video posted on Instagram Thursday morning.

Bernier said he was hoping to wait until Easter — when the store would be closed due to the holiday — to announce the Sunday closures indefinitely, but made the decision on Friday after conferring with his staff.

"The people here at Cronig's — serving you, working for me — are very tired," Bernier said. "I made a decision (Friday) morning that I need to make that decision for this week."

Bernier said that by closing on Sundays he will be able to shift more of his small staff to the other six days, but that having that staff in the store creates the other issue of violating social distancing in the cramp quarters. He said he is hoping to take proactive action so that the Board of Health does not have to act.

He said customers began this week to heed the request to come to the store less frequently, but is now asking that if two people from a family come to the store together, one of them stays in the car.

"People keep asking: 'What can you do to help me?'" he said. "This is how you can help me."

Bernier also requested that, while he enjoys talking with customers, he has been "worn out" but constant inquiries about certain items and future availability of items. He said because of his limited staff and system he is unable to do grocery delivery or curbside pickup.

Bernier said the Sunday closures and one-person-per-family shopping will be in effect until the health emergency abates.

"I have no idea when that will be," he said.

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