Trader Joe's in Merrick reopens after Covid-19-related cleaning

The Trader Joe's store in Merrick reopened to customers on April 4 after being temporarily closed for Covid-19-related cleaning. 

A customer service merchant said Saturday that the store  was taking "every precaution possible for the safety of our community," including requiring employees to wear face masks and only letting 20 customers inside the store at a time.

She added that one of the employees was playing music outside in the parking lot to greet customers as they arrived. 

The Merrick Trader Joe's closed for cleaning on March 31 after an undisclosed number of employees tested positive for coronavirus, according to a company statement. The last time a positive-testing employee  was in the store was March 27.

Six other Trader Joe's locations (see box) were temporarily closed for "thorough cleaning and sanitization" to combat the coronavirus. "We have made sure all Crew Members at the respective locations have been informed and understand the steps to take to best safeguard the health of their communities," the statement read. 

Trader Joe's paid its employees "for their scheduled shifts" while the stores were closed.