March Denton Business Chronicle 2020

DENTON

March 2020

Business

CHRONICLE

www.dentonbusinesschronicle.com

Photos by Ryan Higgs/DRC

A customer talks with employees while her sandwich is being prepared at Patriot Sandwich Co., a veteran-owned and military-themed sandwich shop on Loop 288.

Service with a smile, and a mission Military-themed sandwich shop aims to help veterans

By Ryan Higgs | Staff Writer rhiggs@dentonrc.com

Lining the walls, hanging from the ceiling and displayed in shadowbox tables, military memorabilia honoring each branch of service can be seen inside Patriot Sandwich Co. The veteran-owned sandwich shop, which opened last month on Loop 288 in Denton, aims to serve up military-themed menu options while working to raise awareness about the human side of the military.

Owner David Jordan, a Denton res-

ident, said he aims to provide customers with insight into the time-honored traditions of those who serve. Jordan, 44, is an Army combat veteran who served for 12 years, and a component of his shop is to raise proceeds for veterans experiencing homelessness.

“When I created the shop, it came out of a desire to help people, because I run a charity for homeless veterans called We Got Your Six, which helps homeless veterans in our community,” Jordan said. “And that came from five years ago with me being a homeless veteran and almost committing

suicide. So, I created Patriot Sandwich Co. to be a source of continual revenue for the charity, and a portion of every purchase goes to WGYS.” A total of 1,806 veterans in Texas were experiencing homelessness as of January 2019, according to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

Texas has one of the country’s highest total numbers of homeless veterans, trailing only Florida and California.

Jordan experienced homelessness for five months after transitioning out of the military, living in homeless shelters and on the streets in Kentucky.

Denton resident David Jordan, an Army combat veteran who experienced homelessness after transitioning out of the military, created Patriot Sandwich Co. to serve the community and raise awareness about the human side of those who serve. A portion of monthly sales is donated to We Got Your Six, a local charity that Jordan founded in 2015 to help veterans experiencing homelessness.

He was often cast aside and judged by would-be employers, who said he would “probably try to rob them blind,” Jordan recalled.

“Things didn’t go as I wanted them

to,” he said. “And people do not often sit and talk to find out how someone ended up as homeless, or what their PATRIOT | CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Start getting ready to celebrate Denton’s small businesses

N

ational Small Business Week is May 3-9. Yes, I know it’s only March, but celebrating something as important as our local small business community takes a little planning.

And we wanna get it right. Small businesses make up over 90% of the Denton Chamber of Commere’s membership and 99% of America’s workforce. Ninety-nine percent of everyone with a job in this country is a part of a small business.

Small businesses drive our economy. Look at these statistics from the Small Business Administration’s website: Small businesses comprise:

■■ 99.9% of all firms ■■ 99.7% of all firms with paid employees ■■ 97.5% of exporting firms (280,229 small exporters) ■■ 33.3% of known export value ($429.3 billion out of $1.3 trillion) ■■ 47.3% of private-sector employees (60 million out of 126.8 million employees) ■■ 40.7% of private-sector payroll From 2000 to 2018, small businesses created 9.6 million net new jobs while large businesses created 5.2 million. Thus, they accounted for 64.9% of net new job creation in the period.

The most common source of capital to finance business expansion

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Erica PANGBURN | COMMENTARY

is personal and family savings (21.9% of small firms), followed by business profits and assets (5.7%), business loans from financial institutions (4.5%), and business credit cards

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from banks (3.3%).

Small businesses support our sports teams and civic clubs. Small businesses know our lunch order and how we take our coffee. And for every $100 spent in small businesses, about $68 returns back into the local economy. Google these questions: Are small businesses greener? (Yes.) Are small businesses driving innovation? (Yes.) Small businesses are a part of a dream that’s coming true. Many stay small. Some get big, but they started SMALL. I want to first thank our early sponsors: ■■ Denton Record-Chronicle ■■ Independent Financial

■■ Texas Woman’s University Center for Women Entrepreneurs ■■ ServPro of Denton ■■ AccessBank Texas ■■ Hayes, Berry, White & Vanzant LLP And secondly, I want invite you to partner with us and help us celebrate small business in Denton! We have a few fun things planned for National Small Business Week, and publicly recognizing the best of Denton, over lunch of course, is one of them. Go to our website and nominate your favorite small business for an award, or SIX of your favorite small businesses.

PANGBURN | CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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March 2020

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Cover Story

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Denton Record-Chronicle

Photos by Ryan Higgs/DRC

Army combat veteran and Patriot Sandwich Co. owner David Jordan, left, talks with Krum resident John Rockafellow, a Vietnam War veteran, on Friday afternoon.

A shadowbox inset in a dining table holds a canteen and other military memorabilia at Patriot Sandwich Co. PATRIOT | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

stories are. People automatically think that the [homeless] are worthless or that it’s drugs, alcohol or mental health issues, but they do not get to know the person that’s behind the stigma.”

However, as he contemplated suicide after his 17th job interview fell through, Jordan said the turning point in his life was when his cousin called him and invited him to stay out in Texas. Once in Texas, he founded We Got Your Six in August 2015, which “works to erase the stigma revolving around the homeless.”

PANGBURN | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Sponsor an award (there are only a few left!) and hand it to the winner yourself. Or forward this information to someone you know who is almost as passionate as we are about keeping Denton’s economy vibrant. You can find the nomination form on our website at denton-chamber.org/sba.

The award categories are: ■■ New Business of the Year Award — The New Business of the Year Award is to recognize a new business chamber member operating for more than one year and less than three years that has gained an expanding positive reputation. Nominees must have fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees. Judging for this award will be based on potential community impact, use of innovation and technology as well as business growth.

■■ Small Business Community Investment Award — The Community Investment

Patriot Sandwich Co. is located at 1507 S. Loop 288 in the Great Lakes Denton shopping strip near Walmart.

In four years, he said his McKinney-based charity has helped 29 families. And now with a 10% monthly sales contribution from Patriot Sandwich Co., Jordan said We Got Your Six will be able to help more families and veterans.

Patriot Sandwich is located at 1507 S. Loop 288, in the Great Lakes Denton strip near Walmart. Jordan said when he began planning his business, he didn’t want it to be too serious.

A balance between seriousness and fun, he said, is reflected in the menu, designed with references to each branch

of the military. Into the Wild Blue Yonder is the shop’s Air Force sandwich, while Queen of the High Seas is for Coast Guard, and Flying Leatherneck is for the Marines.

Other options were humor-based. One menu offering is titled Better Than MRE, he said, because “anything is better than a meal ready to eat.”

“Each of the sandwiches up there pays respect to the military in its own way, like Private Meatball,” Jordan said as he pointed at the menu. “We have privates in the Marines and Army, which seemed like an adequate term for it. But to

keep it fresh, every week we do a new sandwich of the week.

So, this week we are doing the Nimitz.”

Each of the sauces is made in-house, including the spaghetti sauce featured on the Private Meatball and Fiery Napalm sandwiches. As a lifelong cook with an industry background, he said that creating his own recipes lets him offer a better culinary experience for his customers.

Krum residents John and Carrie Rockafellow, who visited Patriot Sandwich for their second time for lunch Friday, said the military-themed eatery

Award is to recognize a local chamber member business with fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees, for its outstanding community service contributions such as special programs, partnerships, in-kind support of goods and services, employee volunteerism or other activities that have resulted in a positive impact on our community and citizens. Judges will consider all nominees for their impact, creativity, commitment and employee participation.

■■ Family-owned Business of the Year Award — This award honors a family-owned and operated business with less than 25 full-time employees.

The owner must also serve as a majority owner and operator or bear principal responsibility for operating a small business for at least 10 years. They must demonstrate increased employment opportunities for family members and non-family members.

■■ Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award — The Small

Business Young Entrepreneur of the Year is awarded to a chamber member, business owner/ leader under the age of 40 who has taken risks in business — started a new venture; expanded into a new area; taken on a difficult project; someone whose thinking is “outside the box”; an astute businessperson with a vision for the future.

■■ Woman-owned Business of the Year Award — The Woman-owned Business of the Year is awarded to a majority-owned (51%), for-profit female business owner who demonstrates significant growth, job creation and sustainability in her firm, and has made impactful contributions that have positively influenced Denton community.

■■ Small Business of the Year Award — The Denton Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award is given each year to a for-profit business that offers high-quality products or services to Denton, exhibits strong employee rela-

tions, demonstrates leadership within its industry, is an active participant in the community, and maintains sound business strategies and growth performance.

Your Denton Chamber of Commerce is committed to economic growth in Denton. We get really busy working for our members and we don’t often take the time to say “thank you” for the daily heavy lift. We don’t always celebrate the contribution our small businesses make to our economy.

We are working to gather as many partners as we can, in pursuit of making Denton the best place to do business in North Texas. Denton’s small business community is worthy of celebrating and National Small Business Week is the perfect time to do it. I hope you’ll join us in this effort.

ERICA PANGBURN is president of the Denton Chamber of Commerce and can be reached at 940-382-9693 and erica@ denton-chamber.org.

is a completely unique experience. Carrie Rockafellow, 68, said she’s never before seen a sandwich shop that was in tune with the needs of veterans.

“If you served our country, [Jordan] wants to go ahead and honor you,” she said.

John Rockafellow, 73, served in the Vietnam War as a vehicle and turret repairman during his four years in the Marines. He said that with 22 American veterans committing suicide each day, organizations like Jordan’s are needed.

“David is serving the community,” John Rockafellow said.

“We all need help, and it’s not

just Vietnam veterans.”

Jordan said his shop is a “judgement-free zone,” where any veteran can come in, eat and share their stories. It’s designed to make every veteran feel at home.

“I want every veteran to feel comfortable and like they belong,” Jordan said. “They are represented on the walls, they are represented in the tables and they’re represented in the menu. That’s the intended atmosphere at PSC.” RYAN HIGGS can be reached at 940-566-6889 and via Twitter at @ryanahiggs.

BRIEFLY IN BUSINESS

Job fair currently slated for March 26 The spring 2020 Denton Community Job Fair is scheduled for Thursday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Denton Civic Center.

The event, sponsored by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, includes job providers like Acme Brick, the city of Denton and Nebraska Furniture Mart, among others. The fair includes full-time, parttime and seasonal work.

Chamber postpones ‘Everywoman’ event “Everywoman,” an event hosted by the Denton Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Commerce with the Greater Denton Arts Council, will be postponed as part of Denton’s response to

the coronavirus outbreak.

The event, which celebrates Women’s History Month, was originally scheduled for Friday, March 20, at the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center.

It has been postponed until April.

Woodlands Medical Center marks opening A ribbon-cutting ceremony was scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 24, at the Woodlands Medical Center, 1218 N. Bonnie Brae St. Woodland Medical Group is a local family medicine, physical medicine and chiropractic care center. Operating hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon and 2 to 6 p.m., and 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays.

— Ryan Higgs

Denton Record-Chronicle

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Enterprising Voices

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March 2020

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Markets fearful after one-two punch “Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy only when others fearful.”

— Warren Buffett

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thers are fearful.

Last week Thursday was the worst one-day drop in the market since the Black Monday crash of 1987.

The one-two punch of coronavirus virus and the Russia-Saudi oil price war sent markets in a tailspin over the last month.

Through last Thursday, the decline in just about every major index has been severe. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones indexes — those most reported by the U.S. media — are down 27% and 28% from their recent highs.

The technology-heavy NASDAQ is down slight less, but still a startling 25%. If you dig into various sectors, the numbers are even more stark.

The Dow Transportation Index (comprised of airlines, shippers, cruise liners and other transportation-focused businesses) had fallen more than 37%. The NYSE Financial Index had fallen 33%. Small-cap stocks and “value” stocks have been crushed, each down about 40%.

The indiscriminate nature of the selling is interesting to consider. The extremely high correlation of declines indicates much of the selling is being done by machines and algorithms, rather than by discriminating investors.

This may have been exacerbated by those who had highly leveraged accounts — investors

Jonathon FITE | COMMENTARY

who borrowed lots of money from their brokerage to buy stocks while they were going up. Once the declines hit, those investors got margin calls to pay back their loans, and had to sell anything they could to pay the brokers back.

In the midst of all this market turmoil, there are some things to consider. First, no one knew this “black swan” event was on the horizon, but given the levels and valuations the broad market had risen to over the last several months, this column had urged readers to build cash and employ hedges if they could. That cash and those hedges served investors well if they had them in place.

Next, while we may not have seen the lows in this sell-off, the level of fear and panic late last week reached extremes not seen since the throes of the financial crisis. But, today, the financial sector is much healthier and policy responses are coming.

The Treasury launched a $1.5 trillion liquidity package.

Congress is working on fiscal stimulus. Corporations, univer-

Craig Ruttle/AP

Trader Peter Tuchman works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Monday. sities and local governments are canceling activities to give the system time to prepare and respond.

While the toll of the coronavirus is still growing, financial markets look forward. The environment can be “bad” for a while, but once things go from “bad” to “less bad,” financial markets tend to begin the recovery process.

A year from now we will have lived through this pain.

Testing kits will be pervasive.

Therapies and perhaps even vaccines will be in place.

Basketball tournaments will be played again.

For those who did not sell at the lows, or, better yet, invested some cash in the midst of the fear, may look back on last

There’s no will. What do we do? Who gets what?

W

hen one dies “intestate,” meaning without a valid will, there are options for legally wrapping up the deceased’s affairs and distributing his estate.

The most common option is to open an administration. When a person dies intestate, his estate is distributed pursuant to Texas intestacy laws, unless his heirs agree otherwise. The costs associated with an intestate estate administration are usually higher because there are more steps required to open the administration and court oversight may be required throughout the administration process.

One of the first steps in opening an intestate administration is identifying the heirs. Heirs are defined as persons entitled under the intestacy statutes to a part of the estate of a decedent who dies intestate. Determining heirship for the purpose of opening an administration requires the appointment of an attorney ad litem, who is usually paid from the estate.

The attorney ad litem is tasked with conducting an independent investigation to learn the identity of the heirs and the percentage of the estate to which each heir is entitled under the intestacy laws.

The ad litem then reports those findings to the court.

The attorney ad litem is appointed to help ensure that no heirs are intentionally or unintentionally left out. A determination of heirship is not necessary when there is a valid will that identifies the beneficiaries because heirship is not a factor — the will dictates how the estate is divided. For example, people leave money to their favorite college or charity, close friends, or make unequal distributions to heirs who would stand to inherit the same share if the intestacy laws applied.

Intestacy laws were created by the Texas Legislature and

Ryan WEBSTER | COMMENTARY

are found in the Texas Estates Code. They contemplate several different family structures, which relatives are likely to be the natural object of the deceased person’s affection, and the nature of property in the estate (separate or community).

In applying these rules, it is important to know the difference between separate and community property. Separate property is the property owned or claimed by a spouse before the marriage; property that a spouse acquires during the marriage by gift, devise or descent; and certain personal injury recoveries paid to a spouse.

Community property includes all property obtained during a marriage that is not separate property. If the deceased leaves a surviving spouse, there is a presumption that all property is community property. An heir may rebut this presumption by putting on evidence that shows the property is separate property.

Now for some examples of how estate property is distributed under the intestacy laws. When a person who was married and had children at the time of his death — the surviving spouse gets a 1/3 life estate interest in all separate real property and 1/3 of separate personal property. The remaining 2/3 and life estate remainder go to the children or their descendants. That person’s community property is distributed to the surviving spouse if the surviving descendants are also those of

the surviving spouse.

However, when there are descendants who are not the children, grandchildren, etc. of the surviving spouse, the real and personal property is divided 50/50 — half to the surviving spouse, the other half to the children or their descendants.

The intestacy laws contemplate multiple family structures and dictate how the estate is distributed under each one. The key is applying the correct rule.

In an intestate administration, the contested issues, if any, are usually over who’s an heir and the classification of property. Once the heirs are identified and the property is classified, these rules are easy to apply because they are so rigid.

However, because they are so rigid, the deceased’s actual wishes may not be honored. The rules do not vary based on how close the deceased was to one heir compared to another. They do not allow for distributions to anyone who is not so entitled by statute, unless the heirs agree otherwise.

So, the neighbor or nephew who took care of Grandpa for the last 10 years of his life is going to be edged out by the grandkid who “borrowed” Grandpa’s car 10 years ago and has not seen him since.

Whether a person dies with or without a will, an application to open an estate administration must be filed within four years from the date of death. But don’t wait. Usually, the sooner an administration is opened the better.

This article is not intended as legal advice. It is by no means comprehensive on the subject matter. For information about a specific case or estate planning, contact a qualified attorney.

RYAN T. WEBSTER is an associate at Alagood Cartwright Burke PC and can be reached at rwebster@denton law.com and www.dentonlaw.com.

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Plenty to celebrate about America’s small businesses

S

ince 1963, the U.S. Small Business Administration has designated one week in May as National Small Business Week to underscore the impact of entrepreneurs and small business owners across the United States.

This year, that week is May 3-9. As we recognize the many contributions that small businesses make to our economy and quality of life, there is much to celebrate.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce in partnership with MetLife recently released its Small Business Index for the first quarter of 2020. The index measures the responses to a series of questions about business operations, expectations and environment of 1,000 small businesses across the country (those with fewer than 500 employees that are not sole proprietorships). Some of those questions include: “How would you rate the overall health of your business?”

“Do you expect next year’s investments to increase, decrease or stay the same?” and “How would you rate the overall U.S. economy?”

Broadly, the results of this quarter were positive and reflected confidence in business health and the national and local economic climate. According to the index: 65% of small business owners describe the financial health of their company as good.

60% of business owners see the national economy in good health.

30% of small businesses are planning to increase

Shannon MANTARO | COMMENTARY

staff in the next year compared to last quarter, which was at 28%.

Businesses in the South continue to be the most optimistic about their businesses’ health, the national and local economy and future employment.

While all this is encouraging, unfortunately, women-owned small businesses are less confident about the state of business in the nation. According to a study by small business financing company Guidant Financial, women rate their confidence, on average, as “somewhat confident.”

Eleven percent feel “somewhat unconfident” and 8% feel “very unconfident.”

Guidant attributes lack of capital and/or cash flow as a significant challenge for women entrepreneurs.

To help address these concerns and facilitate growth in the women-owned business sector, Texas Woman’s University’s Center for Women Entrepreneurs supports women-owned enterprises with free business plan development assistance, grant funding, mentoring and networking opportunities and professional business advisement.

In addition to TWU, we

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are fortunate to have many other champions of small business development that provide an array of services and resources to support our business owners.

The Small Business Development Center of North Central Texas has several satellite offices throughout the area and offers access to a broad range of resources including market research, financial statement analysis, and government contracting, exporting and market expansion. The center’s services are provided at no charge.

The Denton Chamber of Commerce will recognize National Small Business Week with its first Small Business Awards Luncheon on May 6. To nominate a business or reserve your spot at the luncheon, visit denton-chamber.org.

The Denton Economic Development Partnership also offers technical and advisory support for businesses.

In honor of National Small Business Week, please join your regional economic development advocates in saluting our small business owners for their determination, innovation and outstanding contributions to our communities — and remember to buy locally whenever possible.

SHANNON MANTARO is the director for Texas Woman’s University Center for Women Entrepreneurs and can be reached at smantaro@twu.edu. For more information regarding TWU’s Center for Women Entrepreneurs, visit twu.edu/cwe.

Call or visit your local financial advisor today.

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week’s panic as a great buying opportunity.

We shall see. It is too soon to be calling the low. But when every metric of fear, panic and volatility all reach extremes, gravity tends to pull the pendulum back the other way.

JONATHON FITE is a managing partner of KMF Investments, a Texas-based

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DE-25076

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March 2020

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Vital Statistics

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Denton Record-Chronicle

SALES TAX PERMIT The following sales permits were issued by the state comptroller’s office for February. The list includes the owner, name of business and address within ZIP codes 75068, 76201, 76205, 76207, 76208, 76210, 76226, 76227, 76249, 76258 and 76266.

75068 Rachael & Amy Baugus, Black Hat Designs, 816 Meandering Trail Chelsea James, Stuck2You, 1213 Brendan Drive Ioana Ilea, Ioana Ilea, 1624 Flamingo Drive NNGE Enterprises LLC, NNGE Enterprises LLC, 201 E. Eldorado Parkway, Apt. 2303 Coy Miller Elementary PTA, Coy Miller Elementary PTA, 300 Cypress Hill Drive Carmetrice White, August Blanc, 1452 Benavites Drive Patti Jamme, Patti Jamme, 528 Riney Road Brenda Lizeth Pena, B Fashion, 1525 Lakeshore Drive Steelworks DFW LLC, Steelworks DFW LLC, 1155 Highline Lane Voneva Denham Ownes, Voneva Official, 2517 Ash Drive Latoya King, The KL Collection, 200B Castleridge Drive Cynthia Ortiz, Teeshirt Logic Designs, 1436 Sun Breeze Drive Focus & Frame Eyewear LLC, Focus & Frame Eyewear LLC, 1641 Flagstone Lane Anna Grayson, 4 Gray Girls Enterprise, 2717 Pine Trail Drive Little Elm My Kitchen LLC, Little Elm My Kitchen LLC, 850 W. Eldorado Parkway, Suite 300 Global Gazelle LLC, Global Gazelle LLC, 2428 Elm Valley Drive Stephanie Brooke Holley, Brooke Holley Independent Cabi Stylist, 2605 Pine Trail Drive Bow Baby Apparel LLC, Bow Baby LLC, 2205 Crown View Drive Robert Allen Chick, Rainmaker Sales LLC, 14528 Richmond Circle Taxco Jewelers LLC, Taxco Jewelers, 3625 Rio Grande Road Salvi’s Restaurants LLC, Salvi’s Restaurants LLC, 407 W. Eldorado Parkway, Suite 140 Ruwani Palihapitiya & Siddihalu Wijesena, RW Marketers, 1124 Horsetail Drive Shannon Nicole Thomas, Paxtons, 620 Torero Drive Scooter’s Lavon LLC, Scooter’s Lavon LLC, 1654 FM423, Suite 100 Onemain General Services Corp., Onemain General Services Corp., 2731 Little Elm Parkway, Suite 310 76201 Juliana Nicole Digennaro, Salvage Secondhand Shoppe,

1407 Bernard St., Apt. 1031 CR Cellular LLC, CR Cellular, 1429 Eagle Drive, Apt. 104 TYVE Limited Partnership, McDonald’s #02259, 306 W. University Drive Brittany & Monica Terry, Seabrook’s Harvest, 1419 Oakland St. Crosshope Cleaning LLC, Crosshope Cleaning LLC, 624 W. University Drive, #404 TYVE Limited Partnership, McDonald’s #39266, 735 Fort Worth Drive TYVE Limited Partnership, McDonald’s #33578, 2850 W. University Drive TYVE Limited Partnership, McDonald’s #18781, 2930 W. University Drive The Denton Barber Co. LLC, The Denton Barber Co., 124 N. Austin St. Briggo Inc., DPH Denton, 3000 N. Interstate 35 Adam Tyler Barnes DDS of Texas II PLLC, DDS Dentures + Implant Solutions, 2317 W. University Drive Suite B8 Global Priority Solutions Inc., Global Priority Solutions Inc., 2505 W. University Drive Suite 1010 FVShio Kouture LLC, FVShio Kouture LLC, 1407 Bernard St., Apt. 165 Freedom to Faux LLC, Freedom To Faux LLC, 425 Bernard St., Apt. 804 Hud Bater, B. Hud Gems, 2413 Charlotte St., Apt. 17 76205 Kingdom Contracting LLC, Kingdom Contracting LLC, 1923 Willowcrest Loop Vitty’s of Texas LLC, Vitty’s Sports Bar, 1776 Teasley Lane, Suite 102 Adam Barnes DDS PA, Affordable Dentures & Implants, 2318 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 104 TYVE Limited Partnership, McDonald’s #19932, 1515 S. Loop 288 Victor Manuel Mata II, El Remolquito, 1025 Dallas Drive TYVE Limited Partnership, McDonald’s #35679, 2120 S. Loop 288 Chrystin Nicole Canales, Cozy Cricket, 2100 Spencer Road, Apt. 411 Denton Wood & Floors Outlet Inc., Denton Wood & Floors Outlet Inc., 1109 Dallas Drive Titus Home and Commercial Services LLC, Titus Home and Commercial Services LLC, 1200 Pennsylvania Drive Conn Appliances Inc., Conn Appliances Inc., 2201 S. Interstate 35E, #C-100 QT South LLC, QuikTrip #905, 321 Eagle Drive John Campbell, John Campbell Sculpture, 523 Pierce St. Marta Lorena Zelaya, Catrachos Restaurant, 212 Fort Worth Drive

HCC Distribution LLC, HCC Distribution LLC, 715 Dallas Drive Onemain General Services Corp., Onemain General Services Corp., 2430 S. Interstate 35E Suite 182 76207 D & R Signs LLC, D & R Signs LLC, 4801 W. University Drive Noble Wolf Vodka LLC, Noble Wolf Vodka, 4408 Worthington Drive, #113-114 O’Bryan’s Carpet Cleaning Inc., O’Bryan’s Carpet Cleaning Inc., 4604 Beaver Creek Ave. Karen Sue Autry, Susie’s Dish Garden, 1501 Eufemia Drive Hecmis LLC, Harper Electric, 2321 N. Masch Branch Road, Suite 311 QT South LLC, QuikTrip #912, 3113 W. University Drive Elizabeth Vega & Meagan Newkirk, Wild Chix Boutique, 268 Robbie O St. Mopars5150 Inc., American Steel Classics, 2321 N. Masch Branch Road, Suite 325 76208 Victor Morales & Patricia Franco, Victor’s Catering, 5525 Las Lomas Lane 419 Productions LLC, 419 Productions, 4123 Boxwood Drive Lidenny Capuchino, El Ricon De Los Churros, 4200 E. University Drive NTSM LLC, NTSM LLC, 5501 Fishtrap Road, Suite 331 Tejas Stone Works Inc., Tejas Stone Works Inc., 5197 Fishtrap Road Gabar LLC, Abundant Harvest Books, 7604 Sweetgate Lane ALCC LLC, ALCC LLC, 5501 Fishtrap Road, Suite 331 Billy Washington, Washington Fashion, 6303 W. Shady Shores Road Patricia Ann Hallsell, LMLD Designs, 4003 Windy Meadow Drive Landry Investments LLC, Landry Investments LLC, 416 Bronco Circle Brandon Tyrone Flemming, IFY, 917 Glenngary Way Sabre Automotive LLC, Sabre Automotive LLC, 506 N. Mayhill Road, Building 3 Anthony Caraway, Caraway Business Solutions, 5201 Par Drive, Apt. 711 Ethan Ballinger, Wood Play Again, 3613 Oceanview Drive 76210 Felix Cornier, Siete Ocho Siete, 3018 Mason Ave.

Mary Jo Caldwell, Gablewood Designs, 1821 Vintage Drive DBC Electric LLC, DBC Electric LLC, 2109 Fairmount Park Drive Certiflex Software LLC, Certiflex Software LLC, 2150 Leatherwood Lane Israel Cruzado, Liquidate Me 2, 5514 Green Ivy Road Anthony Joseph Root, 4M Detailing & Power Washing, 2829 Custer Drive Vivmeds Pharmacy Corp., Vivmeds Pharmacy Corp., 3303 Unicorn Lake Blvd., #280 Phil Olechna, Phil’s Flowers and Fossils, 2700 Windstone Way Just For You LLC, Just For You LLC, 1604 Marble Cove Lane Greystone Asset Services LLC, Lucky Duck Estate Sales, 2800 Shoreline Drive, Suite 240 Pink Glitter Events LLC, Pink Glitter Events, 2701 Pioneer Drive Nicholas Masching, Nick’s Wood Works, 1620 Birch Lane James Villarico, Goose Isle, 2411 S. Interstate 35E, Apt. 526 Sheila Platter, Lavender Sky, 1704 Spinnaker Drive Mark Schaffner, All Seasons Pool Service, 909 Circle View Lane Kimberley Dietrich, KimberleyGoods, 2612 Bissonet Drive Shannon Nichole Stiltz, Queen Penguin Productions, 6212 Thoroughbred Trail Brandi Marie Prince, The Matriarch Apothecary, 1720 Sharon Drive QT South LLC, QuikTrip #911, 3701 S. Interstate 35E Blue Troop Web Print & Video LLC, Blue Troop Web Print & Video LLC, 924 Circle View Lane Onyekachi & Patience Kalu, Favours Bridals And Kitchen, 8008 Mirror Rock Lane Daniel Ryan Koberna, Lt. Dan’s Crappie Co, 3908 Winston Drive Lucas John Brusseau, Lukes Good Striping, 2700 Cedar Creek Lane, Apt. 4010 Pure Synergy LLC, Pure Synergy, 1440 Robinson Road, Suite 140 Whitney McFaul, Whits Whips, 1224 Springcreek Drive Damon Thornhill, Abomination Avenue, 2005 Doecrest Drive 76226 Four Rivers LLC, Four Rivers LLC, 410 Hearth Terrace Defender-HQ LLC, Defender-HQ, 1301 Fire Wheel Way Bolster Buddy LLC, Bolster Buddy LLC, 8204 Primrose Trail

Alissa Stradling Vocal Studio LLC, Sing Texas!, 8505 Bayberry Ave. The Bold Blondes LLC, The Bold Blondes LLC, 1108 Hazel Drive 3 MC Investment Inc., 3 MC Investment, 819 Indian Trail Thirsty 4 More Marketing LLC, Thirsty 4 More Marketing LLC, 6355 Cedar Sage Trail AL2 Holdings LLC, AL2 Holdings LLC, 1817 Finch Trail JM Lawncare & Sprinkler LLC, JM Lawncare & Sprinkler LLC, 11835 Hilltop Road Sapphire Sky Boutique LLC, Sapphire Sky Boutique, 7105 Mitchell Court Kathleen Leslie, Charlotte Webb Creations, 1732 Homestead Way Corenoc Inc., Corenoc Inc., 4687 Johnson Lane, Suite 4A Yarbrough Ventures LLC, DJ’s Diner, 204 Country Lakes Drive Charred LLC, Charred LLC, 4687 Johnson Lane, Suite 5C Saverio James Auciello, Saverio James Auciello, 9331 Blanco Drive Randall Shook, Randy’s Tools, 751 Frenchtown Road Sunny Sprays LLC, Sunny Sprays, 301 Cherokee Trail Sydney Aaron Webb, 4 Acre Press, 308 E. FM1830, Building 1 Action Signand Banner LTD, Action Sign and Banner, 122 Leesley Lane Erin Gaudet, Ranch Junkie, 11961 Hilltop Road, Suite 23 Allison Fifer, Posh Home Staging & Redesign, 1151 Badminton Drive 76227 Harris Masonry LLC, Harris Masonry LLC, 500 Crazy Horse Drive Taylor Klein, Bow Tie Clothing, 1113 Bridle Path Drive Christopher Jones, Dark Horse Services, 11109 Blaze St. Irene Alejandra Garcia, I’UrbanTrend Fashion Boutique, 945 Alton Drive PS 23 Window Coverings LLC, Budget Blinds of Denton, 808 Longhorn Drive Heather Rowell, Dog Cabin Depot, 4241 Cheyenne Trail Joy Chihuahua, Nodal Gal, 2600 Tipps Road TYVE Limited Partnership, McDonald’s #37186, 11201 U.S. Highway 380 K&C’s Shednanigans LLC, K&C’s Shednanigans, 109 Baseline Road Nydrea’s Elite Care LLC, Nydrea’s Elite Care, 26850 E. U.S. Highway 380, Apt. 5804 Lady Noah’s Kitchen (LNK), Lady Noah’s Kitchen, 10909 Blaze St. Webb’s BBQ Sauce LLC, Webb’s BBQ Sauce LLC, 6601 Blackjack Oaks Road

Devine Shine Auto Detail LLC, Devine Shine Auto Detail LLC, 8232 Spitfire Trail Hi Tech Yards LLC, Hi Tech Yards LLC, 1270 Providence Blvd.

Canton Trading LLC, Canton Firearms, 721 Lighthouse Lane Andrea Gaitan, AC’s Custom Cakes, 1004 Charleston Lane CNC Group LLC, Sushibachi, 26745 E. University Drive, #104 Edward Wharff III, J & N Equipment Repair, 4876 Pebble Creek Drive Comwave Technology Texas LLC, Comwave Technology Texas LLC, 721 Lighthouse Lane Dustin Sharpe, New Beginnings Books & Games, 3083 Trails End Nicholas Garth Oliver, RPG Dungeons, 1213 W. Shawnee Drive Mill Creek Tree Farm LLC, Mill Creek Tree Farm LLC, 3001 Mill Creek Road Second Breakfast Media LLC, Five J’s Design, 1421 Waggoner Drive Creniques Events & Rental LLC, Creniques Events & Rental LLC, 9907 Cherry Hill Lane 76249 The Gods Foods LLC, The Gods Foods LLC, 111 Nighthawk Drive 76258 DL Motors LLC, DL Motors LLC, 13550 Private Road 5805 TYVE Limited Partnership, McDonald’s #30798, 1230 S. U.S. Highway 377 Marcie Harris, Ardon Brothers Tire Shop, 1293 N. U.S. Highway 377, Suite 200 Matthew Wesbrook, Westbrook Cattle, 723 S. Church St. Kimberly Jean Luman, Pink Diamond Ranch, 837 E. Blackjack Road Jacque Aaron Reed, Lazy A Ranch, 9182 Scenic Drive MohammedR Enterprise LLC, MohammedR Enterprise LLC, 1293 S. U.S. Highway 377 76266 Eikon Consulting Group LLC, Eikon Consulting Group, 1405 W. Chapman Drive Teri Lea Wright, LetterWright, 802 S. Keaton Road Jeanie Pryor, Le Bleu Bonnet Boutique, 501 N. Fifth St. NorTex Lawn Care LLC, NorTex Lawn Care, 11141 Lakecrest Drive Baru Enterprises LLC, McDonald’s Sanger, 601 N. Stemmons St.

ASSUMED NAMES The following names were posted in February at the Denton County Clerk’s Office.

75068 Tiwalade Adebanjo, Croesus Group, 14209 Sugar Hill Drive Justin Allred, OtherRed Photography, 1921 Marble Falls Alex Amaya, Ivana Counter Co., 237 Judy Lane Rachael and Amy Baugus, Black Hat Designs, 816 Meandering Trail Simon Bowles, Manchester Painting, 2620 Lake Ridge Drive Danielle Fobbs, Healthy Sunflower, 1529 Canary Drive Shanna Fougerousse, The Undivided Heart, 1220 Shell Beach Drive Sean Galloway, Dallas Coin Buyer, 2701 Little Elm Parkway, Suites 100-410 Mason Garcia, MSG Construction, 6504 Shoreline Drive Zetonio Graham, Happy Feet North Dallas, 2736 Lone Ranger Trail Zetonio Graham, Shining Stars North Dallas, 2736 Lone Ranger Trail Lizbeth Hernandez, In God We Trust Moving, 9824 Cottonwood Trail Jason Hicks, Jason Hicks DBA Hicks Landscaping & Excavation, 6281 Hill Lane Angela Lerew, Nurturing Nest Newborn Care, 705 Water Garden Circle Melissa Lewis, LGL Grilling, 9909 Snake River Drive Melissa Lewis, K & M Appliance, 9909 Snake River Drive Jason Main, Main Mastics, 2705 Leisure Lane Lizah Mandiringa, Lima Concepts, 109 Highwood Ave. Martha Martinez, Martha’s Cleaning Service, 9415 Sleepy Hollow Trail Nitza Martinez, ER Construction, 2440 Chestnut Drive Cynthia Ortiz, TeeShirt Logic Designs, 1436 Sun Breeze Drive Ruwani Palihapitiya & Siddihalu Wijesena, RW Marketers, 1124 Horsetail Drive

Michael Paul, Smooth Jazz Transportation, 1404 Bluebird Drive Osbaldo & Karla Ramirez, El Son Plumbing, 309 Woodgrove Drive Aquilino Rangel Rivera, Aquilino Rangel Construction Cleanup & Excavations, 405 Shady Oaks Lane Letisha Stover, Vintage Kloset, 1576 BrookStone Drive Alejandro Valenzuela, AJ’s Lawn Service, 909 Horizon Ridge Circle Ana Vazquez, Starfit4Life, 1314 Garza Lane William Wright, William Wright Delivery, 2228 Bradford Pear Drive 76201 Dan Anderson IV, D & Dee Lawn Services, 411 Ponder Ave. Grace Enciso, Anmut Clothing, 2019 N. Elm St. Caleb Guyon, North Texas Dome Shows, 2444 W. Oak St., #124 Bater Hud, B Hud Gems, 2413 Charlotte St., #17 Terronce Johnson, TMJ Investments, 624 W. University Drive, #325 Loren Jones, Omega Sculpture & Design, 311 W. Highland St. Tommy Marshall, TM Appraisal, 101 S. Locust St., Suite 600 76205 Gerardo Garcia De Alba, Invisible Dog Guards, 522 Smith St. Omar Leonardo Garcia Ferrel, PMC Barbershop, 518 Acme St. Unit 101 Joshua & Rabekka Smith, A Helping Man, 731 Londonderry Lane, Apt. 109 Carmen Shannon, G & T Treats, 301 Dallas Drive Suite 120 Debra Strebig, Stuart and Strebig, 2720 James St. Michael Sweigart, The Beard of Real Estate Team, 215 S. Woodrow Lane, Suite E

Derek Yuniwoh, JBS Group US, 201 Inman St. 11203C 76207 Pascual Zepeda Soto & Maria Margarita Soto Pena, Pascual Zepeda Lawn and Tree Service, 4937 Stuart Road, Trailer 96 Yerica Figueroa Sosa, DG’s Tree Service, 4937 Stuart Road, Trailer 298 76208 Lidenny Capuchino, El Ricon de los Churros, 4200 E. University Drive Neptaly Israel Gomez, IG Trucking, 3501 Seaside Drive Susan Kay Murphy, Designs by His Grace, 5001 Par Drive, Apt. 3021 Kariana Perez, Kanette Ganrie, 4508 Indian Paint Way Myrtha Velez, VSM Services, 4508 Indian Paint Way John Webb, Riverside Resale, 1802 Riverside Drive 76210 Al Davis, Pad Cleaning LLC, 3908 Drexel Drive Dillon Haspany, Ascension Services, 4109 Darien Place Arman Jivani, Dallas Competitive Gamers, 4517 Chicory Court Onyekachi Mark Kalu, Emy Italian Shoes & Suits, 8008 Mirror Rock Lane Onyekachi Mark Kalu & Patience Favour Kalu, Favours Bridals and Kitchen, 8008 Mirror Rock Lane Sherry Lakey, Zip Ink Mobile Notary, 2806 Surrey Oaks Court Felix Omar Cornier Perez, Siete Ocho Siete, 3018 Mason Ave. Venetta Petties, Girls Who Twirl, 2701 Pioneer Drive Esther Quartey, Outstanding Touch Events, 3604 Andalusian Drive Juan Sanjuan Ramirez & Jesus Sanjuan, Sanjuan’s Construction and Landscapes Irrigation, 2800 Cochise Court Michelle Gay Sawyer, Business In You Group, 4251 FM2181, Suites 230-306

Michelle Gay Sawyer, Unek Finds, 4251 FM2181, Suites 230-306 Gerin St. Claire, St. Claire Enterprises, 2215 Stanhill Drive Megan Wildsmith, Megan Wildsmith Insurance Agency, 1212 Bent Oaks Court, Suite 200 76226 Yvonne Jagger Callahan, Yvogerhan, 6216 Savannah Oak Trail Jose Luis Casas, Argyle Barber Shop, 512 N. U.S. Highway 377 Alexander Colon-Rivera, Aktion Unlimited, 979 Stonecrest Road, Building 5, Unit D Allison Fifer, Posh Home Staging & Redesign, 1151 Badminton Drive Maria Susana Hernandez, A & S, 4259 Cactus Drive Dustin Hunt, Hunt Construction Services, 708 Charyl Lynn Drive Mont Parrish, Beaumont Outdoor Sports Services, 941 Hondo Road Wendy Price, Argyle Gentlemen’s Parlor, 512 N. U.S. Highway 377 James Derek Richardson, Patriot Shooting Supply, 1111 Treeline Drive 76227 Don Ryan Alexander, Alexander Plumbing Co., 1405 Cherokee Rose Trail Clarence Ansley, Gun Bluing Speciality Shop, 4529 Elm Bottom Circle Tristan Battaile, Right Choice Realty, 1001 Wenk Court Miguel Becerra, Affordable Choice Pool Remodels & Outdoors, 1831 FM2931, Apt. 833 Jasmine Dodd, Fresh Skin Bar, 1535 Acmite Ave. Shakira Ellis, Aubrey Mobile Notary, 1315 Canvasback Drive Lucy Michelle Gutierrez & Blake Dell Puckett, BMP Surveying Services, 321 Countryside Drive

Michael Shane Hamilton, H6 Renovations, 112 Ranch Road Alejandro Sanchez Hernandez, Texas Turf and More, 2901 Naylor Road Oliver Hernandez-Perez, DFWCedar, 3367 FM1385 Jessica Yarbrough & Marco Herrera, AB Advisors, 9013 Cranston Court KiAndre Jackson, Jackson’s Home Renovations, 1807 Canvasback Drive Corey Jenkins, Bengal Volleyball, 1031 Providence Blvd.

Nicole Jeror, Jeror Photography, 9920 Martha’s Vineyard Circle LeChresha Johnson, The Children’s Palace Education Learning Academy, 6132 Kent Lane Magali Kapinga, UltraRefunds, 7005 Spring Park Drive Dennis Koller, Pen Communication, 10071 Cedar Lake Drive Samuel Maina & Nancy Kemunto Mokaya, ICareTax Team Consulting, 1505 Cardinal Way Jesus Martinez, Cloud Nine Installation, 1804 Forsythe Drive David Melnikov, Deals and Discounts, 2721 FM2931 Omar Menchaca, Green Solutions, 10210 Lakeview Drive Nicholas Oliver, RPG Dungeons, 1213 W. Shawnee Drive Shambhu Basaya Pujari, Icicon America Inc., 1521 Habersham St. Colleen & Tony Pullen, Pullen Realty Group, 1412 Downing Drive Mary Ann Quan, Mary’s Safe Haven For Kids, 1821 Sparrow Lane Cristobal Zavala Ramos, Independent Electrician, 8921 Deadwood Lane Tony Rasmussen, First Choice Maintenance, 3022 Rockhill Road Dulce Sanchez, Quality Compliance Consulting, 824 Countryside Drive Alice Schrader, Trekk Enchanted Events, 9133 Blackstone Drive Toya Simmons, Loulouise Homes, 1513 Mockingbird

Drive Taylor Sloat, 4rehn, 9915 Birch Drive Jennifer Smith, Jenn’s Hair Studio, 1001 Jerry St. Robert Vaughan, Reforming Realty, 11450 U.S. Highway 380, Suite 130, #279 Jacqulyn Warren, Anointed & Appointed Creations, 1121 Live Oak Drive 76249 Dane Michael White, Solomon, 2751 Mitchell Road 76258 Kevin Ray Dane, Boss Hogg Productions, 219 N. Jefferson St. Margot-Lindsay Gray, Dream Big Real Estate Services, 621 E. Roewe St. Margot-Lindsay Gray, Life on a Plate, 621 E. Roewe St. Shaler Lane Pierce, Unicorn Financial Group, 334 S. College St. Bryan & Lisa Smith, Benchmark Signature Homes, 1109 N. Foundation Drive Zoyla Tavera, Edgie’s Tacos, 681 W. Holford St. 76266 Alfredo Garza & Rolando Escobedo, G&E Custom Homes, 6576 Belz Road Misty Greene, X Stream Solutions, 1008 N. Fifth St., #311 Wendy Haun, Haun Media Consulting, 928 W. Willow St. Ryan Konz, Konz Fabrication Solutions, 5828 Milam Ridge Road Thuy Hong Thi Nguyen, Angel Nails & Spa, 619 N. 10th St. Suite 306 Priscillia Roberson, Ready Notary Now, 4841 Austin Circle Adalberto Rodriguez, TShirt Imaging, 306 Deer Run Drive Kenneth Rowan, Ken Candyman, 711 N. 5th St. Raymond Taylor, Coffee Creek, 10039 Dyer Road

WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR BUSINESS, THESE NEW RAM TRUCKS MEAN BUSINESS. Your Full Service Dealer: Sales, Parts, and Service

Denton Fleet/Business Sales Classic Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram 4984 South I-35 East exit 462 • 940-498-9800 www.classicdodgechryslerjeep.com Sales: Monday - Friday 8am - 8pm • Saturday 8am - 6pm Parts/Service: Monday - Friday 7am - 7pm • Saturday 8am - 5pm

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Amazon limiting sellers’ shipments to warehouses The facilities are now taking only essential supplies during virus fight

By Joseph Pisani AP Retail Writer

NEW YORK — To make room for toilet paper, hand sanitizer and other items in high demand during the global viral pandemic, Amazon said it is limiting what brands and independent sellers can send to its warehouses for the next three weeks.

Among the products that can be shipped to Amazon include canned beans, diapers, dog food, disinfecting wipes, medical supplies and various household goods. Items like jeans, phone cases and other nonessentials will not be allowed.

“It’s pretty disruptive,” says Greg Mercer, the CEO of Jungle Scout, a software platform for Amazon sellers that predicts sales data.

Merchants send their products to Amazon to store in their warehouses until a shopper buys it. Amazon then packs up

the products and ships it to the customer.

Third-party sellers who sell most of their goods on Amazon. com could suffer if they go out of stock and can’t ship more goods to Amazon. Shoppers could begin to see less stuff to buy on the site. Nearly 60% of all the goods sold on Amazon came from third-party sellers in 2018.

“This is getting very ugly and quick,” said an Amazon third-party seller, who has sold fashion accessories through the site for several years. The seller did not want to be named for fear of retribution from Amazon.

Sales took a dive on Monday, the seller said, adding that news of the further spreading virus and a wildly-swinging stock market is keeping shoppers away. He said he may not keep up with a monthly loan payment.

“We are in trouble and may not survive until June,” the seller said.

The new restrictions are another sign of how much pressure Amazon’s delivery network is facing as more people hunker down at home and shop online to avoid crowds.

The Seattle-based company

Ross D. Franklin/AP file photo

An Amazon shipping truck arrives at a fulfillment center in Phoenix in July. Amazon has announced that until April 5, it’s limiting what types of products independent sellers can send to its warehouses. warned customers this week that deliveries may take longer than usual. And on Monday the company said it will add

Supermarkets rethink how to serve shoppers

By Abha Bhattarai

100,000 new jobs at delivery centers and its warehouses to keep up with a spike in orders.

Amazon said the new re-

strictions will last until April 5.

“We understand this is a change for our selling partners and appreciate their under-

standing as we temporarily prioritize these products for customers,” Amazon said in a statement.

Cinema screens go dark around US Theaters close due to pandemic; ‘Black Widow’ release delayed

By Jake Coyle

The Washington Post

AP Film Writer

The coronavirus has pitched grocers onto the front lines of an accelerating public health crisis, forcing many chains to reduce hours and put buying caps on such high-demand foods as ground beef and frozen pizzas. Now some chains and independent grocers are restricting the number of shoppers in their stores or offering seniors-only hours.

Industry experts and trade groups say it’s only a matter of time before supermarkets take even more drastic measures, as they look for ways to curb the spread of the highly contagious virus among customers and employees.

Many are looking abroad for guidance.

In Italy, Lidl is capping stores to 20 shoppers at a time, who are limited to 10-minute slots. In the United Kingdom, some supermarkets are opening an hour early, at 8 a.m., to accommodate elderly shoppers, who are at higher risk if they contract the virus.

And in China, at the height of its outbreak, stores checked customers’ temperatures at the door, and required them to stand at least three feet apart from others in line.

U.S. chains like Kroger, Walmart and Dollar General have already begun shortening store hours, to allow employees enough time to restock and disinfect at the end of the day. Costco said in an email to members on Tuesday that it would begin restricting the number of shoppers in stores in the interest of social distancing, but did not provide details on how it would do so.

Target announced it would reserve an hour on Wednesday mornings for elderly shoppers and those with underlying health conditions.

“We’re all having conversations, but we want to make sure we don’t implement these [measures] too early,” said Doug Baker, who heads crisis management for the Food Marketing Institute, a trade group for food retailers and wholesalers. “We’ll probably have to start limiting the number of people, but how do we do that so they’re not all just waiting in the parking lot?”

Smaller grocers in some part of the country have begun experimenting with ways

Al Key/DRC

A shopper walks out of Target with groceries and water on March 9. to curb the flow of shoppers.

In Youngsville, Louisiana, NuNu’s Fresh Market has a 15-person limit from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. — a move aimed at protecting more vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. Managers are also limiting essentials like bread, rice, eggs and baby formula to two per customer, and have asked shoppers to limit the number of people they bring along on shopping trips.

“We started seeing the fear in our customers’ eyes, wondering how they could stay safe,” said Blaine Broussard, the company’s president. “We don’t have a ton of people coming in at 6:30 as it is, so we said, why not set aside this time for the people who need it?”

On Tuesday, the first morning of the new arrangement, Broussard stood at the door and greeted customers as they walked in. A couple of times, he had to ask shoppers to wait until others were done, but over all the approach moved smoothly.

At its most crowded, the 18,000-square-foot store had 15 shoppers.

Imposing shopper limits at larger stores, grocery managers say, could prove more challenging. Retailers like Dollar General and Stop & Shop, a regional chain based in Quincy, Massachusetts, are starting to offer seniors-only hours for those age 60 and up, without liming the actual number of people who can be in stores.

Stores could soon move to even more segmented schedules — with specific blocks for families with children, say, or those with weakened immunity, in coming days, said Brittain Ladd, a consultant to Kroger and other retailers.

“This virus doesn’t treat everybody the same, so grocery retailers can’t either,” he said.

The discussions on how to separate shoppes are part of a broader reckoning for supermarket operators being faced with unprecedented levels of demand and looming uncertainty, as entire cities and states order residents to shelter in place.

Many are also worried about labor shortages, as tasks increase and workers fall ill.

Walmart and Kroger — the nation’s two largest grocers — are rapidly recruiting store workers and truck drivers to meet demand, while Amazon has said it will hire 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers.

“The message now is: If you’ve been laid off from your job at a restaurant or another retailer, we’re hiring,” said Phil Lempert, a California-based supermarket industry analyst. “There is a big need for people to stock shelves, to clean, to do absolutely everything.”

The shifts are also accelerating grocers’ efforts to automate their fulfillment centers and make online ordering more efficient by investing in drones and autonomous delivery vehicles, industry consultants said.

Online delivery has typically accounted for just 2% to 3% of a grocer’s business, said Ladd, “but if this thing keeps going the way it is, we could be looking at a situation where 50 to 60% of grocery retailers’ business comes from online.”

At Giant Food, demand for delivery services — which include a new “contact-less option” — has tripled in recent days, as customers look for ways to limit exposure, interim president Ira Kress said.

NEW YORK — U.S. movie theaters have closed nationwide due to the coronavirus pandemic, turning dark nearly all of the country’s 40,000-plus screens in an unprecedented shutdown.

With most of Hollywood’s March and April releases already postponed, the Walt Disney Co. on Tuesday also cleared out its May releases as well, including Marvel’s Black Widow.

The largest chains had tried to remain open even as Hollywood postponed its upcoming release plans and guidelines for social distancing steadily diminished the recommended size of crowds. But after President Donald Trump on Monday urged against gatherings of more than 10 people, AMC Theaters, the nation’s largest chain, said Tuesday its theaters would close altogether.

AMC said the latest guidelines made movie theater operations “essentially impossible.” It said it would close all locations in the U.S. for at least six to 12 weeks. Regal, the second largest chain, said Monday that its theaters would close until further notice.

The Walt Disney Co. also indefinitely postponed Black Widow, which had been set to open May 1. Marvel movies have for years been the regular kickoff to the summer movie going season. The company also put off the releases of David Copperfield (May 8) and The Woman in the Window (May 15).

With movie theaters locked down for the foreseeable future, some studios took the extraordinary step of funneling new or recently released films onto home viewing platforms.

Universal Pictures said Monday it will make its current and upcoming films available for on-demand rental, becoming the first major studio to break the traditional theatrical window of 90 days due to the pandemic.

The studio said it will put movies currently in theaters — Invisible Man, The Hunt, Emma — up for rental as early as Friday. It also said that Trolls World Tour, one of the only major releases left on the April calendar, will debut in theaters and on-demand services simultaneously. A 48-hour rental will cost $19.99.

Most of Europe’s cinemas have already shut down, as have those in China, India and elsewhere. North America’s shutdown came gradually. On

Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

People exit an AMC theater Saturday in Los Angeles. Cinemas around the country are closing because of the coronavirus threat. AMC is closing all of its locations for at least six to 12 weeks.

Sunday, the mayors of New York and Los Angeles ordered their cities’ theaters closed.

Governments in Massachusetts and Quebec also closed theaters.

Cinemark, the nation’s third-largest chain, also announced its theaters would shutter Wednesday. Chains including Alamo Drafthouse, Landmark Theatres, Showcase Cinemas and Bow Tie Cinemas have closed.

New York’s Film Forum marquee, usually adorned with titles, instead bore a paraphrased Franklin Roosevelt quotation: “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Alamo Drafthouse put an “Intermission” card up on its website.

“This news — this situation – is devastating,” the 41-theater circuit based in Austin wrote.

“When we re-open after this unprecedented and indefinite hiatus, it will be in a dramatically altered world, and in an industry that’s been shaken to its core.”

Over the weekend, ticket sales plunged to their lowest levels in at least 20 years at U.S. and Canadian theaters.

Not since a quiet September weekend in 2000 has weekend box-office revenue been so low, according to data firm Comscore.

Universal’s move could be seen as either a watershed moment for Hollywood or an aberration due to extreme circumstances. With few exceptions, the major studios have guarded the 90-day exclusivity window even as digital newcomers like Netflix and Amazon have challenged it. For the studios, box office still is the primary revenue generator.

Last week, the Motion Picture Association said worldwide ticket sales reached $42.2 billion last year.

The National Association of Theater Owners, the trade group that represents movie exhibitors, made its first statement on the shutdowns Tuesday, acknowledging the hardship facing movie theaters but also pledging that the theat-

rical window will resume once the crisis has passed. The organization said speculation that this will permanently expand home streaming of Hollywood studio productions “ignores the underlying financial logic of studio investment in theatrical titles.”

“To avoid catastrophic losses to the studios, these titles must have the fullest possible theatrical release around the world,” the association said in a statement. “While one or two releases may forgo theatrical release, it is our understanding from discussions with distributors that the vast majority of deferred releases will be rescheduled for theatrical release as life returns to normal.”

NBCUniversal is prepping its own streaming service, dubbed Peacock, but it isn’t to launch until July 15. On Sunday, the Walt Disney Co. made Frozen 2 available on its streaming service, Disney Plus. But that film had already completed its theatrical run. Its digital release didn’t break the traditional 90-day theatrical exclusivity window.

And Hollywood’s major upcoming releases aren’t currently heading for the home; they’re being held for when theaters reopen. Paramount Pictures’ A Quiet Place Part II, earlier slated for release Friday, has been removed from the schedule. Disney’s Mulan and the James Bond film No Time to Die have been put off.

Universal earlier pushed its latest Fast and Furious movie, F9, from late May to April of next year.

While the new coronavirus can be deadly, particularly for the elderly and people with other health problems, for most people it causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. Some feel no symptoms at all and the vast majority of people recover. In addition to advising against gathering of more than 10 people, Trump has urged all older Americans and those with chronic health conditions to stay home.

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CHAMBER SPOTLIGHT #DentonMeansBusiness UPCOMING EVENTS

RIBBON CUTTINGS

BB&T

CP Roofing & Exteriors

Envision Imaging

Grease Monkey

Patriot Sandwich Company DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OFFICERS Jill Jester..............................................................................................Chair of the Board Jeff Reecer .................................................................................Chair-Elect of the Board Erik Clark ...................................................................Immediate Past Chair of the Board Carrell Ann Simmons.........................................................................................Treasurer Shannon Mantaro .................................................Vice-Chair, Membership Development Lee Ramsey .......................................................................Vice-Chair, Special Initiatives Marty Rivers .............................................................Vice Chair, Economic Development Rick Wick............................................................................ Vice-Chair, Affiliate Relations

DIRECTORS Lee Allison • Jason Bodor • Roy Culberson • Brian Danhof • Sheryl English • Jim Fykes Monica Glenn • Gary Henderson • Michelle Houston • Jeff Pritts Pat Sherman • Randi Skinner • Kristi Stokes

EX OFFICIO DIRECTORS Hugh Coleman....................................Pct. 1, Denton County Commissioners Court Hank Dickenson ............................................................ Chair, CVB Advisory Board Carine M. Feyten, Ph.D. ...........Chancellor & President, Texas Woman’s University Kerry Goree ................................. President, Denton Black Chamber of Commerce Mia Price.................................................. President, Denton ISD Board of Trustees Neal Smartresk................................................ President, University of North Texas Chris Watts .............................................................................Mayor, City of Denton

UPCOMING RIBBON CUTTINGS Woodland Medical

March 24 • 11:00 AM 1218 N Bonnie Brae Street #100 • Denton, TX 76201

OB/GYN Specialists

April 2 • 4:00 PM 323 N Bonnie Brae Street • Denton, TX 76201

NEW MEMBERS

SMI Coaching

Circle R Ranch

Terry@TerryBuzzardJr.com (940) 536-3603

loribradley@circleranch.org (817) 430-8108

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen

USHealth Advisor | Goldie Kamau

(940) 320-2503

Movie Tavern by Marcus

davidstowers@marcustheatres.com (985) 276-7717

ReaderLink Distribution Services, LLC info@Readerlink.com (940) 380-8200

goldie.kamau@ushadvisors.com (817) 235-2773

CurePay

info@mycurepay.com (855) 287-3729

Jill D’Aoust, Keller Williams Realty Denton jill.daoust@gmail.com (214) 418-3048

Steven W. Coburn, O.D., P.A. dba Family Eye Care of Denton

Homeyer Engineering, Inc.

tigimathew@gmail.com (940) 566-3413

shomeyer@hei.us.com (972) 906-9985

Ahlers Roofing and Construction

From The Future, LLC

info@ahlersroofing.com (817) 793-2424

support@ftfstudios.com (940) 251-0555

Interested in Membership? Call 940.382.9693

414 W. Parkway Denton, TX 76201 940.382.9693 Denton-chamber.org DE-25658