As of 8 p.m. Thursday, all malls and businesses in New York state that have larger capacities are required to shut down due to the recent uptick in coronavirus cases.

A large number of businesses in the state have already been forced to shut down and many employees are trying to prepare themselves for a future without an income.

Transit Lanes in Williamsville put bowling balls and shoes away indefinitely. The managers there say the coronavirus is an issue that no one can be prepared to deal with. 

“The hardest part for us is everyone’s income is based off of tips, so right now everyone has no income coming in right now whatsoever,” said Tim Schie, bar manager at Transit Lanes.

“We are living in a time that I have never seen, unfortunately we don’t know what we are really dealing with in Western New York, so everything is going to be predicated on what happens in the future,” said Donna Perna, general manager of the bowling alley. 

To make things a little brighter for employees, the company decided to empty the kitchen and all inventory for staff members to take home free of charge. They were able to take food and drinks from the vending machine. Everyone gathered in an assembly line as they took what they needed. 

“What better way to help our family here and to let them come in do a little shopping on their own to help their families. We have opened up the vending machines so they can help themselves. There is a lot of snacks for kids and family,” said Brenda Wroblewski, food and beverage director for the alley. 

In the meantime, employees say they’re doing what they can to get by.

“No one has ever experienced anything like this, just try to get unemployment right now. I know it’s not going to be nearly close to what we make but it’s something to get us by in these times,” Schie said. 

The general manager says they had a plan to remodel the bowling alley in May that took three years to plan, but with the way the virus is going, that may not happen.