Coronavirus Update: With Some Wary Of Grocery Stores, The Milkman Is Making A Big Comeback
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- With so many of us hunkering down to stop the spread of coronavirus, some are relying on an old-fashioned way of stocking the fridge.
As CBS2's Nick Caloway reported Tuesday, the quarantine has sparked a resurgence of the milkman.
It's an American tradition. Or, at least it was 60 years ago.
"People think the milkman is a thing from the past, but I tell people it was never gone," said Matt Marone, the owner of Westchester Milk.
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Marone has been providing doorstep deliveries of milk, eggs, and other staples for more than two decades.
Up until a few weeks ago, he delivered mostly to schools and daycares.
Then, they all closed.
"Then the home delivery side that picked up, probably doubled in the last week or two," Marone said.
That shift comes as customers are increasingly wary about going grocery shopping during a pandemic.
MORE: Coronavirus Update: NYC Farmers Markets Open With New Safety Guidelines
Margaret Scarcella of Greenwich, Conn., has been a customer of Westchester Milk for 10 years. Now, with coronavirus spreading, those deliveries are more important than ever.
"I'm a cancer survivor not too far out of chemo, and the doctor recommends I stay home. So, obviously, the less I'm around a crowded bunch of people, the healthier I am and my family is," Scarcella said.
In recent weeks, milk delivery companies across the Tri-State Area have seen an explosion in new business. Barry Porzungolo delivers for his uncle's company, Mitch The Milkman, which operates on Long Island.
The company has seen an increase in business of about 600%. Long-time customers say the delivery of milk comes with a side of nostalgia.
"It reminds me of when I was growing up as a kid. People used to get milk deliveries," one person said.
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As millions of us settle in for the long haul, riding out the coronavirus pandemic at home, this new way of life has paved the way for the comeback of a once-forgotten service, as younger generations come to rely on the friendly neighborhood milkman.
MORE: Coronavirus Update: 'Takeout Tuesday' Encourages People To Support Local Restaurants During Shutdown
"They're realizing that it's something they can count on. Like the old saying, 'rain, sleet, snow,' even with the world today, we're still delivering, still making deliveries, and making people happy," Marone said
Delivering milk, and a bit of certainty, in uncertain times.