South Jersey Siblings' Brand Helps Businesses Reopen Amid COVID

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Getting customers to return requires more than reopening, according to Rita Christensen. It also requires putting customers at ease who might feel nervous about the coronavirus.

The Ocean City woman and her brother, Andrew Bakey, developed a way to show patrons that they're ready, that they "survived."

That's why they developed window clings, lawn signs and wrist bands for businesses to signify that they have "conscientiously and ethically" sanitized their establishments using the Center for Disease Control's guidelines.

You might notice businesses around South Jersey with signs that say "Survived," with a simple message: "Welcome back. We missed you!" A few letters are highlighted in blue to spell "virus" backwards, indicating the process of putting COVID-19 in the rearview mirror, Christensen said.

Survived, LLC products don't claim that the business is virus-free. But owners have signed a "Pledge of Integrity" that they've done what they can to keep their establishments safe.

"Welcome back, we missed you, and we took the Pledge of Integrity to ethically and conscientiously sanitize," Christensen said of what the signs indicate.

Christensen owns an ad agency called iColor Studio, LLC. Bakey, of Mullica Hill, works as an energy consultant.

Bakey called Christensen on March 14 with a question, one that still nobody can completely answer: what's the world going to look like after the pandemic?

"People are going to be scared to death to go to their dentist, to go to their family doctor, to go to their favorite bars or restaurants," Christensen said, recalling what Bakey told her. "We’ve got to figure something out to help make people more comfortable."

Bakey's profession faces unique challenges because of the pandemic. As an energy consultant, he makes a living through networking, shaking hands and meeting face-to-face to negotiate energy prices. Bakey and others needed a solution.

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By mid-June, they developed the Survived brand. They dedicated the initiative to their parents — George and Patricia Bakey. Each night at dinner, they encouraged their 10 children to share their "AOK" — acts of kindness — for the day.

They have used the brand to aid others, donating a portion of proceeds to Meals on Wheels and No Kid Hungry, which respectively help feed seniors and children.

Several businesses have joined the Survived movement, including the Harrison House Diner in Mullica Hill, Unlimited Salon in Berlin, and Barnsboro 5 Point Family Barber in Sewell.

Christensen's daughter dined at The Bistro at Haddonfield and asked if they'd like a sign for their front window. The restaurant was ecstatic, Christensen says.

"The manager actually said, ‘Oh my God, can I have that?’" she said. "There's that kind of excitement, because there are no visual clues (of safety)."

Find more information at survivedcovid19usa.com or call 856-520-3035.

Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

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