BY TEQUILA MINSKY
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer visited barber shops, beauty parlors, nail salons, delis, jewelry stores, cell phone purveyors, a slew of restaurants and all other types of small businesses last week on a four-day marathon aimed at helping everyone stop the spread of COVID-19.
Brewer distributed free masks and sanitizers in these now open small businesses in Manhattan. She was careful not to disrupt business as usual as workers continued making smoothies, serving meals, and dealing with customers while she quickly introduced herself, stated her purpose, leaving a free box of masks on the counter with a container of sanitizer.
As quickly as she arrived at one business, she went on to the next — spreading the same message of staying safe and taking precautions during the pandemic.
Wherever Brewer couldn’t get to, volunteers and members of her staff filled in to keep businesses well-stocked with protective masks and hand sanitizer.
One diner on Avenue A in the East Village piped up seeing the entourage, “Oh, it’s the mask patrol!” Brewer’s cadre was quick to provide masks to those on the street who needed them as well.
Brewer and mask distributors were spotted this week on Roosevelt Island, Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea, Inwood, Washington Heights and Central Harlem.
