TUESDAY July 14, 2020
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Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
THE MATHIS REPORT
Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
COIN SHORTAGE Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE CHANGE?
KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
Sign says Disney store at Town Center won’t reopen
Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
The pandemic disrupted circulation and production, so it may be time to tap the penny jar to help retailers.
from his bank. He enlisted family, friends and neighbors – even his personal banker – to roll their coins from home for his use. Wallmeyer has enough now, in fact a month’s worth, and worries that he might be hoarding them – like people who stocked up on toilet paper.
Disney posted signs at its St. Johns Town Center store that call into question whether it will continue operating there. “This Disney store location will not reopen,” says the signage at 4818 River City Drive. “Use our Store Locator Page on the site to find our nearest Disney store,” it says, referring to shopDisney.com. However, the store locator page continues to list the Jacksonville location. It also remains on the St. Johns Town Center directory online. The Jacksonville phone number answers with a standard recording and does not specify the Town Center store. Another sign on the door refers to the closure March 17 of all Disney stores in North America for “the health and well-being of our Guests and Cast Members.” Disney and other retailers closed stores as COVID-19 spread and federal, state and local guidelines restricted public access. The Disney stores sell toys,
SEE COINS, PAGE 2
SEE MATHIS, PAGE 2
BY KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
Those penny trays at retail stores might be worth their weight in gold these days. The Federal Reserve Board, which manages U.S. coin inventory and distribution, said because of the COVID-19 pandemic, coin deposits from banks to the Fed have declined significantly. Meanwhile, the U.S. Mint decreased production of new coins because of measures Rowe put in place to protect employees. “We cannot get coin,” said Rob Rowe, owner of Rowe’s IGA Supermarkets. Rowe said he usually gets coin – the collective term for coins – from his bank, but said banks are not receiving it from the Fed. “We will have to go to debit and credit cards only when coin runs out,” Rowe said. “We are asking customers to bring in change, but that I assume will not make a dent in the needs,” he said. Combined with the closing of many businesses during the pandemic, the decreased coin production disrupted the
Photo by Monty Zickuhr
A sign on the entrance to Hobby Lobby in the Parkway Shops at 15324 Max Leggett Parkway appeals for exact change.
normal circulation patterns for U.S. coins on a national scale, according to the Fed. The Fed announced the formation of a coin task force, including representatives from banks and retailers, to come up with recommendations by the end of July to address the issue. Starting in late June, Frank Wallmeyer, owner of Standard Feed and Seed near Downtown, couldn’t access enough coin
The location near Nordstrom closed in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar open Tommy Bahama has opened the Marlin Bar at St. Johns Town Center. A store associate said the restaurant and bar opened near the end of June, several weeks after the store did. The covered outdoor restaurant was busy July 12 with customers seated at socially distanced tables. TommyBahama. com says Marlin Bar hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, with a daily happy hour 3-6 p.m. The website says daily store hours are noon-6 p.m. The restaurant and store are at 4812 River City Drive, No. 137, at the corner of the corridor leading to Nordstrom.
VOLUME 107, NO. 168 • ONE SECTION