Princeton Record Exchange owner featured on CNBC segment about struggles of small business owners during the coronavirus pandemic

Many Princeton area small business owners have had to lay off employees and close their doors during the COVID-19 crisis, like other businesses across the state. Restaurants and other food businesses are allowed to stay open to deliver or serve carry-out food, but most are earning only a fraction of the revenue they once did. Meanwhile, many Princeton business owners have told Planet Princeton that their landlords have not communicated with them since the crisis, or made any gesture to offered them reduced rent or rent waivers.

Business owners are calling on state and federal elected officials to take swift action to provide them with some relief. Meanwhile, some business owners are seeing if they can get loans to stay afloat.

Jon Lambert, the owner of the Princeton Record Exchange, was featured on a segment about businesses on CNBC Monday night to discuss the challenges of being a small business owner during the crisis. Lambert said the best way politicians can help business owners is to provide them with rent relief. “If you truly want to help small business owners, I’m begging you for some sort of rent relief. That to me is the number one issue,” Lambert said. “You have to help me with my rent, you have to help me with my fixed costs if you want a business like mine to succeed.”