One Fair Wage calls on Governor Cuomo
to act as pandemic worsens
BY MARK HALLUM
Tipped wage earners and even some
employers support the call for a
minimum wage increase in the bar
and restaurant industry as the worsening
pandemic sees more hardship on the hospitality
front.
One Fair Wage organizers said Monday
that earning a sub-minimum wage has
gotten tougher with business hours being
cut by the state as a COVID-19 mitigation
effort and abuses in the industry persist.
Breanne Delgado, a chef and organizer
with One Fair Wage handed out cans of
soup in Union Square on Monday and
spoke about what the government can do
to act on behalf of restaurant workers who
are dealing with pre-COVID-19 problems
in a post-COVID world where the responsibilities
only accumulate.
“We’re fi nding that women in the service
industry, bartenders, servers, hostesses,
nail and hair salon workers are being sexually
harassed at work right now and are
still being asked to show up, to sanitize
between customers and enforce rules of
wearing masks,” Degado said. “Governor
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
A popular Japanese retail store that
specializes in second-hand and
vintage clothing is opening a new
location in Chelsea.
2nd STREET was originally founded
in Japan in 1996 and has been helping
style-setters embrace their individuality
with a diverse inventory of “one of a
fi nd” items in a highly organized, clean
environment atypical of traditional
second-hand stores.
This is New York City’s second 2nd
STREET location — the chain also runs
a shop in NoHo and another location will
also be opening a new location in SoHo.
“With carefully curated merchandise
from the U.S. and Japan handpicked by
our team of talented buyers and stylists,
both domestic and abroad, 2nd STREET
is a fashion mecca for trendsetters who
love fi nding unique pieces to enhance
their individual style,” said Mr. Masahiro
Kikuchi, President of 2nd STREET USA,
Inc. “We’re excited to welcome guests to
explore a brand-new shopping experience
at our NYC locations and are confi dent
they will love getting lost in our amazing
fashion fi nds!”
The new 2nd STREET store in Chelsea
will offi cially open for business on Nov. 21.
The nearly 3,000 sq. ft. Chelsea store will
Breanne Delgado, a local chef and One Fair Wage organizer, said on Nov. 16
that Governor Andrew Cuomo act to resolve the hardships experienced by subminimum
wage earners in the pandemic.
Cuomo, if you care about the health and
safety of one of the largest workforces in
this state, in this city, you will eliminate the
sub-minimum wage for tipped workers.”
Ricky Dolinsky, an executive chef and coowner
of Tzarevna, along Orchard Street
on the Lower East Side, told amNewYork
Metro that much of the trepidation he sees
PHOTO BY MARK HALLUM
from other business owners to push for
a change to the tipped wage system is a
simple fear of the unknown.
But having been passed in several other
states and countries such as Canada, a
simple surcharge would help support employees,
he said.
“I think people are scared of One Fair
Wage because they’re not used to it, the
system has been in place for so long. In
many other countries, such as Canada,
there are automatic charges for diners… A
surcharge, not unlike the one that Mayor de
Blasio passed not long ago, except that one
is expiring. We want one that doesn’t expire
and we want one that will be used toward
One Fair Wage,” Dolinsky said. “Right
now, we’re seeing the true cost of dining
out and re-analyzing the health and safety
of everything around us. Now is the time
to give the industry a facelift and fi nally fi x
this racial and wage disparity.”
In September, the City Council and
Mayor Bill de Blasio passed a restaurant
surcharge to help restaurants recoup some
of the losses seen during the fi rst wave of
the COVID-19 pandemic which saw several
months of lockdown orders that put many
businesses in uncertain circumstances
fi nancially.
Amid concerns that the 10% surcharge
would cut into the tips of workers, Council
Speaker Corey Johnson committed to future
changes that would ensure employees
saw a piece of the action in a permanent
surcharge.
Popular second-hand retail shop
to open new location in Chelsea
feature more than 10,000 items including
men’s and women’s clothing and fashion
accessories, along with an assortment of
international brands for men and women
including Marni, Issey Miyake, Burberry,
Comme des Garcons, Supreme, Rick
Owens and AMIRI. There will also be a
large selection of handbags and accessories
from luxury brands including Louis
Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci. the Chelsea
PHOTO COURTESY OF 2ND STREET
location will exclusively offer more than
50 vintage Gucci items for sale.
“What’s most fun about shopping at 2nd
STREET, besides the attractive price tag, is
fi nding items that really speak to you and
also knowing that you’re not going to run
into anyone else who is rocking your unique
style,” said Kikuchi.
In addition to helping reduce global
landfi ll waste by buying and selling gently
used clothing, 2nd STREET’s Hand2Hand
Project ensures all garments that arrive in
their stores are reused in some way. Any
items they cannot sell are donated to a partner
company that will recycle the clothing
to clean up oil spills, while other items are
sent to third world countries to create job
opportunities and provide clothing to those
in need.
2nd STREET is committed to keeping
its staff and shoppers safe amid the pandemic.
The store will be complying with
COVID-19 safety guidelines including all
employees required to wear masks, constant
sanitization and limiting the number
of people allowed in the store at any given
time. With fi tting rooms still closed, 2nd
STREET is temporarily accepting returns
of clothing only within 14 days of purchase.
The 2nd STREET store is located at 142
W. 26th Street. The store will be open from
noon to 7 p.m. daily and can be reached
at 646-661-2518. Guests can receive 10%
off their next purchase when they sign
up for 2nd STREET’s eClub. To shop
online or learn more about 2nd STREET,
visit 2ndstreetusa.com.
4 November 19, 2020 Schneps Media