Here’s how local businesses are responding to new coronavirus restrictions

PITTSBURGH — The new COVID-19 mitigation orders from Pa. Gov. Tom wolf will remain in effect until 8 a.m. on Jan. 4, and businesses are already responding to the restrictions.

The owner of the Penn Avenue Fish Market in the Strip District told Channel 11 as those restrictions were announced Thursday, he ordered extra fish because he knows he is about to see a boom in sales.

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“We are doing a little bit better than we were last year, but we just got lucky,” said Henry Dewey.

Dewey’s market has been around for 13 years. In the last five, he knocked out one of the walls and added a restaurant.

Even though his dining area will have to shut down at 8 p.m. Friday due to the new orders, Dewey is turning a large profit all thanks to selling more fresh fish.

“Our fresh fish business has been booming due to everyone cooking at home,” he said. “We have a great customer base, so we haven’t lost any of those people.”

Dewey said during the pandemic, Red Snapper, salmon and just about everything under the sea is flying from his display case. However, he hopes to reopen the dining area on Jan. 4 once the orders have expired.

CLICK HERE FOR A FULL BREAKDOWN OF THE NEW RESTRICTIONS

The Crack’d Egg in Brentwood has been in the news before for filing a lawsuit against the county after it had ordered the restaurant to temporarily shut down for violating previous mitigation orders. It just posted that it will still be open and business as usual, despite Gov. Tom Wolf’s order to prohibit indoor dining for the next three weeks.

Another business, Pinball PA in Aliquippa, wrote on its Facebook page that it will be open normal hours all the way up to Jan. 4 -- which is when the governor’s order is set to expire.

The spinning bikes at Club Cycle in downtown Pittsburgh are all pushed in a corner and haven’t been used since July. They have been that way since owner Stacie Adams decided to close down the studio.

How will new COVID-19 restrictions be enforced?