Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many businesses remain open to provide essential services to their communities.

One such store is Sim’s Market, 2401 Walbert Ave., South Whitehall Township.

Owner Raj Patel and manager Bruce Schlegel spoke with The Press May 28 about how the health emergency has affected the market, and what steps the store has taken to continue providing patrons with groceries and other goods.

“I thought it was overplayed at the beginning but then, when I started thinking about it, I said ‘Oh, we could die,’” Schlegel said describing how he heard about the spread of COVID-19.

“We took our precautions here to make sure everything was clean, wearing our masks and everything else, for the safety for us and our customers here.”

He said Sim’s Market has established a mandatory mask-wearing policy to protect employees and customers, and the store has masks for sale.

In addition, Patel said further safety precautions have been taken.

These include installing plastic protective screens at the counter, keeping plenty of sanitizing solutions on-hand, and routinely disinfecting counters, drink machines, door handles and all other commonly-touched surfaces throughout the market.

Regarding business during the pandemic, Patel and Schlegel each gave two-thumbs-up and said Sim’s has seen a good number of customers stopping by and purchasing goods.

Schlegel said the market is a community resource for nearby residents and after an initial dip due to COVID-related closures of schools and workplaces, business has rebounded.

“That kind of went out the window when the schools shut down and everything else, because we had a lot of traffic in the morning from different people going to the schools and going to work,” he explained. “But now, it’s a lot of local people who come in here rather than standing an hour, two hours at the chain stores … We have what you would need to get you through the day.”

Patel said thanks to the good business, Sim’s has been able to keep its full staff without any fear of layoffs.

“That was never a concern,” he said. “We need every employee here.”

Schlegel was asked about product shortages.

He said during the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis the market sold out of a number of goods.

“Of course, it was the toilet paper, the same with paper towels and any type of sanitizing things …,” Schlegel said. “Soon as this crisis hit, whatever we had on the shelf, people just bought.”

He also noted since Sim’s Market orders from wholesalers, they were unable to restock many of the in-demand goods for a time due to supplies being diverted elsewhere.

Despite these initial shortages, however, Patel said the store has since been able to replenish the shelves with paper products and most other goods, although sanitizers remain sold out.

“They cleaned out the whole shelf,” he said, “That’s still not available.”

Speaking of items for sale, Schlegel and Patel said one of Sim’s best sellers since the crisis started has been lunch meat.

“We have noticed our lunch meat sales have gone up tremendously because people are at home, eating more sandwiches and stuff,” Schlegel said.

“No restaurants are open …,” Patel said. “That’s why they need meat and bread and all other supplies.”

Sim’s Market first opened in 1960 as Lux’s Market.

According to Schlegel, the store went through “three generations of Luxes” until a new owner purchased the establishment in 1984 and changed the name.

Patel and his wife, Nina, bought Sim’s Market in 1998 and have been running it ever since.

Schlegel, who has been working at Sim’s for 49 years, said while customers have come and gone, the market remains open and ready to provide for the community during the current tough times and into the future.

“I’ve seen three generations of neighborhoods come through the doors here, and that’s why Mr. Patel’s got the doors open, for the local people who have patronized the store for all these years,” he said. “A lot of them come in and appreciate it. They tell us that.

“Most of the people who are coming here know us and come here because they can rely on us and know that we and Mr. Patel are fair people.”

Patel said while the market has modified its opening hours slightly, the community customer support has continued to be strong.

“They’re happy. Whenever we’re open, they’re glad to come over here,” he said. “We try to serve all our customers.”

Sim’s Market is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Sundays.