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“Our goal was to reimagine and then create a retail and hospitality destination that would be as alluring and as safety-oriented as possible,” said Bob McGowan, chief operating officer. “We recognized that our outdoor setting was a real benefit, but we faced some daunting challenges. I’m happy to report that in less than six weeks, we reinvented Peddler’s Village.”
During the shutdown, McGowan worked closely with Village merchants to assess their needs and to offer support. Many implemented online shopping, services, and/or curbside delivery, creating what became known as the Virtual Village. (Even now, when most shops are re-opened during normal hours, many continue to see online purchasing activity.) No shops at Peddler’s Village went out of business during the closures—and, in fact, the Village gained two new ones.
McGowan also worked quickly with the rest of the leadership team to expand outdoor dining opportunities within the Village. “We wanted to be prepared to safely welcome enthusiastic diners as soon as we moved out of the lockdown,” said McGowan, “and we knew that outdoor dining would be our only option for at least a while.” Six Village restaurants were offering takeout meals, and dozens of outdoor tables and umbrellas were added around the Village—distanced widely apart—so that people could enjoy their takeout meals on the scenic property. Full-service outdoor dining was also expanded: tables were added to the courtyard dining area at Earl’s New American, and canopies were put in place to accommodate diners at Earl’s New American, Cock ‘n Bull, and Hart’s Tavern. The Buttonwood Grill outdoor deck was re-organized to provide safe distancing.
The new options and safety measures—which included bold signage and hand sanitizer stations throughout the Village, regular cleaning of common areas, and other important elements-- were well received by guests. “They’ve created an outdoor, thoroughly cleaned dining experience that is charming and enjoyable,” wrote someone in an online review. On June 26—when Bucks County moved into the green phase—Peddler’s Village restaurants opened their doors for interior dining.
Another challenge was festivals, which typically draw tens of thousands of weekend visitors. “It was pretty clear to us that our major summer events were not going to happen,” McGowan said. “So we developed a Plan B.”
Instead of presenting major monthly festivals, the Village will now present themes and special offers for each summer month: July is Blueberry Month, and August will be Peach Month. Each day during that time, visitors can enjoy food and beverages featuring the highlighted fruits at each of the Village restaurants, which now offer expanded outdoor dining and takeout menus as well as interior dining. Live music will be presented on weekends.
Murder Mystery Dinner Theater will resume on August 8 and will continue through October on select Saturday evenings. Of course, new safety protocols will be in place.
“There is no doubt about it. 2020 has been a uniquely challenging year, but we remain hopeful,” said McGowan. “We have always appreciated our guests, but now more than ever before, we are deeply grateful for their continued support of our family-owned businesses.”