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PRINCETON — The Closet in Princeton will reopen Friday with a new set of shopping guidelines.
The resale shop will open for inside shopping beginning Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
A very limited number of shoppers will be allowed inside the store at one time, masks will be required to enter, a sanitizing station must be used and for now, no children will be allowed inside the store.
Shoppers will be asked to observe social distancing, both inside and outside during the waiting period and in order to allow as many people as possible to shop; there will be a time restriction of no more than 30 minutes.
No shopping carts will be available, but there will be sanitized baskets for shoppers. Until further notice, The Closet will accept credit/debit cards or checks only.
The Closet, though not deemed essential, has made a decision to reopen after its board of directors met.
Princeton Mayor Joel Quiram, though a series of posts on his Mayoral Facebook page, has made it known the city is not in the position to enforce violations of business's operating procedures, and has dictated each business must make the determination what is best for their interests.
As a not-for-profit, could there be potential consequences to the organization's 501(c)3 status should they be found to be in violation of the governor's orders?
The short answer is potentially.
Bureau County State's Attorney Geno Caffarini said the issue hasn't come up in his office, however, he said licensed businesses are subject to regulations by the licensing body and any organization that is considering opening should consult with their attorney to determine their best course of action.
La Salle County State's Attorney Karen Donnelly said not-for-profit organizations could be subject to penalties from their licensing bodies and operating outside of those guidelines puts them at risk of losing their status.
Spokespersons for The Closet had no comment regarding their 501(c)3, however, they provided the following written statement the News Tribune:
"By a controlled opening, The Princeton Closet is responding to our community's need. Unfortunately, in these uncertain times, there is a continued need for quality household and personal goods at a reduced cost. We are doing this in the safest manner possible by restricting store hours and number of shoppers in the store at one time. We are also limiting the shopping time for each customer to 30 minutes. We are requiring everyone to wear a mask and practice social distancing. We will continue to sanitize our shopping equipment after each use."