MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Daniel’s of Morgantown has been in business since April of 1963, but due to the COVID-19 outbreak the physical location closed temporarily on March 20.
Owner, Phil Mauser says they have been selling some merchandise online, primarily collegiate logo that amounts to about one percent of total sales.
When someone approached Mauser with a YouTube video on how to make a mask he put a plan into action to address local needs.
“I sent it to both of my master tailors that we employ at Daniel’s and asked them if they make them,”Mauser said,”The both said they could easily, so I bought a bunch of fabric and bunch of elastic and these guys started making masks.”
The two tailors have produced masks for local businesses, and any customers that want one.
“We’ve donated about 3,500 masks between Ruby, Mon Health and a couple nursing facilities,”Mauser said,”I’ve sent them to customers, coal miners, anybody who calls-if I have them on hand I try to help them out.”
This is when people can depend on small businesses, because you can no longer purchase masks online currently.
Mauser says when the store reopens, he’ll begin occupancy restrictions and take other measures to make sure people are comfortable coming to the store on University Avenue.
“I just want to make sure everyone who wants to come into the store and support a local business feels safe,”Mauser said,”We’re going to bring in a sanitation crew and take all the precautions to make sure people feel safe to come in and shop.”
Mauser says the area made it through the economic downturn in 2008, and he expects the area to rebound once again.
“I think our economy is still really good here in Morgantown,”Mauser said,”I think people in Morgantown, people in West Virginia are a little more resilient and we’ll find a way to make it work here in Morgantown.”