Boonton Main Street's First Friday in April typically fills the downtown streets with shoppers eager to shed their winter coats, shop and grab a meal.
Crowded streets are no longer an option as social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus has become the new normal, so the event has gone virtual. The Boonton business community has moved its street event to the Internet.
The first Boonton Main Street "Virtual First Friday" begins Friday at 4 p.m. While restaurants, eateries and some essential businesses still operate with takeout or other methods of delivery, others will contribute to an online presence available directly through the BoontonMainStreet.org website.
"Small business-owners account for nearly 100% of the stores here on Main Street," said Boonton Main Street Director Laura Wagner. "All the owners have been hit very hard, and have been trying to think of creative ways to connect with the community."
Monthly First Friday events, which began nearly a decade ago, encourage shoppers to walk the hilly street full of sidewalk sales, giveaways, live bands and other attractions. Recurring themes include "Poets on Main" and carriage rides at Christmas.
Boonton Arts annual "Dog Daze of Summer" display of colorful dog sculptures along Main Street is another popular lure for shoppers in the dog-friendly district.
With all those options off the table, the Boonton Main Street website homepage will transform at 3 p.m. into a portal to individual businesses offering discounts, virtual tours and more via Zoom, Google Meet, Facebook Live and other platforms.
Some businesses already are finding creative ways to meet customer needs. The clay studio Boonton Mud, for example, is taking "curbside clay" orders online for people to pick up, after which the studio engages with them online.
More shuttered retailers are adding delivery services for customers by the owners taking the orders remotely, picking up the merchandise in their own store and then self-delivering it to the customer. Portals for these businesses will be added as the services are rolled out.
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"We have many retailers that have been force-closed by government order," Wagner said. "The restaurants have been doing a great job with contactless-delivery or curbside pickup. They also have been donating meals to first responders, hospital workers and others on the first line of this war."
The Virtual First Friday event will offer a chance to help those struggling eateries and other community-supporting local businesses stay afloat.
"I think they are trying really to support the community while attempting to salvage their business," Wagner said. "We understand these are trying times for everybody, and we don't want to push people to spend money. We're just saying if you're going to spend, try to spend local."
Other business-service connections during Virtual First Friday will include a seminar by a Boonton financial adviser from 4 to 5 p.m. and access to mental-health providers. More links and connection opportunities will continue through 9 p.m.
"The outpouring of support for each other has been overwhelming," Wagner said. "It's one of many reasons to love our small town with a big heart. We will get through this together. We are #BoontonStrong!"
William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com Twitter: @wwesthoven
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April 03, 2020 at 11:53PM
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Boonton Main Street's First Friday goes virtual, connects shoppers to businesses - Daily Record
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