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Business owner asks UArizona students for help

Posted at 7:48 PM, Sep 15, 2020
and last updated 2020-09-16 08:57:42-04

TUCSON, Ariz. — "I just want them to be extremely careful. Take as many precautions as possible, maybe don't go out on Thursday and Friday night and go out with everybody."
A plea from John Wilfert, owner of the "Smoothie Factory."

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT

One of his four locations is practically on campus at UArizona, near a high-rise apartment.

"We do smoothies, acai bowls, juicing, sports and health supplements, nutrition. Anything in the health and fitness industry pretty much."

Something else he said they do: their part to curb the spread of the coronavirus, especially, Wilfert said, because of the increasing number of cases around campus.

"We really take a lot (of) precautions in trying to make sure we keep a safe environment and we try to make sure we keep 6-feet (apart) as much as possible on anything that (we) do."

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON BUSINESS

Wilfert said his business has made and experienced other changes since the pandemic started: fewer employees at this location (down to 2 from 12), shorter store hours, even closing self-service areas.

ASKING FOR HELP FROM STUDENTS

It's for that reason, aside from the health concern, he said he wants students to do their part to help bring things back to normal in this corner of the COVID-affected world.

"I'm asking the students to do that for us, to help us, because if we'll all take part in that, we'll make this a better place and we'll get through this; but if we don't, and one or two people mess it up for all of us, then it's going to continue to linger on for a long time."