When Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced that the state will reopen some shuttered businesses as soon as Friday, his decision was quickly met with criticism and some confusion from local officials. The order allows gyms, hair and nail salons, bowling alleys, and tattoo parlors to reopen first, with dine-in restaurants and movie theaters allowed to open their doors on Monday.
Ben Midgley, CEO of Crunch Fitness Franchise, told Cheddar Wednesday that the company will take a close look at its approach to reopening its facilities.
“We are taking a thoughtful and careful approach to this. We want to step into this very carefully, so we’ve prepared a 30-page readiness plan for our clubs so we can make sure we are following a number of different aspects,” Midgley said.
The CEO also said workout classes have been modified to accommodate social distancing. To ensure that gym participants have an adequate amount of space, Midgley said they will have lower class sizes and will sanitize equipment between uses.
The government has been trying to provide relief for businesses through the CARES Act and through small business loans, however, Midgley noted there are limits to its effectiveness.
“There are challenges with the program in terms of the ratios that they can apply for forgiveness on the debt, an amount that has to go to payroll, an amount that can go to your lease payment, an amount to rent,” he said. "There is a tremendous amount of documentation that has to go back to the SBA until those loans are forgiven."
But despite those concerns, the CEO thinks business owners are putting their best foot forward.
“There’s certainly concern. But I think everyone is putting their best foot forward, and they’re having a very positive attitude and are trying to help out in their communities,” Midgley said.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
About 780,000 pressure washers sold at retailers like Home Depot are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada, due to a projectile hazard that has resulted in fractures and other injuries among some consumers.
President Donald Trump has fired one of two Democratic members of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to break a 2-2 tie ahead of the board considering the largest railroad merger ever proposed.
Ford is recalling more than 355,000 of its pickup trucks across the U.S. because of an instrument panel display failure that’s resulted in critical information, like warning lights and vehicle speed, not showing up on the dashboard.
