Open for business: Teaneck's Bischoff's survived Sandy, Great Depression; now faces virus

Small businesses are at the heart of our communities. The Open for Business series is our effort to document the struggles of our local merchants in these unprecedented times, and to highlight their resourcefulness, resilience and creativity.

Since it opened on Cedar Lane in 1934, Bischoff’s, the old-fashioned Teaneck ice cream parlor, has served towering sundaes to people looking for a sweet treat and a respite from everyday worries.

The venerable confectionery opened its doors in the middle of the Great Depression. Much of the store’s inventory melted when the power went out after Superstorm Sandy. Now, the shop faces a new challenge as residents have been urged to self-quarantine and restaurants have been ordered to close except for takeout.

Last year, the store celebrated its 85th anniversary by accepting credit cards for the first time, a change owner Steven Mather said he is grateful for, now that his business depends on phone orders and curbside pickup.

“We jumped into the modern-day age at just the right time,” said Mather, whose great-grandfather Albert Bischoff opened the Teaneck shop after running ice cream parlors in New York City and Ridgefield Park. “I’m very thankful for that.”

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How has this experience been for you?

It’s been weird only doing takeout. I’ve been standing out on the street most days, greeting people as they walk past. It’s heartwarming to hear people say, 'I want to support you because I want you to be here when this is over.' They’ve also been generous with the people who work here and rely on tips to drop a few extra dollars into the tip bowl.

What has the community been like?

People have been very supportive. We’ve even had a few awesome people do gift cards over the phone. One of them we’re going to mail, one said they'll pick it up when this is all over and another person just told me to use the money however we need. And my wife and I are doing the same thing — buying gift cards for small businesses around here because some bills don’t stop coming. It’s kind of cool to see the best side of people come out. We’re all in this together, so we just have to do what we can to help each other.

How are you coping? What changes have you made?

On Monday, we began closing at 6 p.m. due to the curfew. We want the people who work here to be able to get home by 8. We’re doing everything we can to follow the guidelines to keep people safe. We’ve got two people working the counter, sanitizing whatever people come near. Only two customers are allowed in at a time so one person is standing outside letting people in. A lot of people have been calling up and doing curbside pickup. So far, thankfully we haven’t had to lay anyone off. It’s mostly high school kids, some older employees and a handful of college kids home for spring break wanting to make money. We’re trying to give them all hours. We’re even adding a couple of shifts for kids to do really deep cleaning. I’m just thankful at the moment that we’re able to still be open.

What’s your biggest concern for your business?

My biggest worry right now is the chocolate. Ice cream I can just leave in the freezer, but Easter candy has a deadline. Easter is our busiest candy holiday. You can take any other two holidays, put them together and you’d get Easter. We even go into a little debt buying candy and then pay it back after the holiday. We have a couple thousand Easter bunnies sitting in the store right now. We haven’t gotten any orders yet, but it’s still a month away. … not knowing if it’s going to come is kind of freaking me out.

What can the public do to help?

Just remember that we’re here and try and support if they can, not just us, but all the small businesses. The big corporations will be helped by their parent companies, but the small business relies on the day-to-day customer. Any way someone can come in and buy something, whether it's ice cream or some candy, helps. We took pictures of all the Easter candy and put it on our website, so people who still want to celebrate Easter can email with their order. People can order a gift card for later on. Even if it’s just a $10 gift card, 10 of those is 100 extra dollars in our day, and that’s a huge thing.

Megan Burrow is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: burrow@northjersey.com Twitter: @MegBurrow