The Turkey Hill convenience store-gas station at S. Third Street and Rt. 309 in Coopersburg, Lehigh County was temporarily closed for cleaning and sanitation Saturday after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. The company said in a statement published on its website that the store will reopen within a few days. As of Monday evening it remained closed.
Over the weekend the Turkey Hill store on Rt. 309 in Coopersburg went dark, leaving many customers puzzled about why they couldn’t purchase coffee or gas there. Signs taped to the inside of the store’s doors indicated the closure was due to “recent business conditions,” however an announcement published on the company’s website Saturday indicated it is closed because someone who works there tested positive for COVID-19.
“One of Turkey Hill team members at our 106 S. 3rd Street, Coopersburg, PA location has informed us that they have tested positive for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19),” the post said. “We are taking all appropriate steps following guidance from local health officials. We closed the store at 10 a.m. (EST) on Saturday, March 20 to be cleaned and sanitized by an industrial cleaning crew. The store will re-open in the next few days. We are grateful to all our customers for your patience and understanding during this time.”
“All team members that work at these stores have been contacted and advised to follow CDC-recommended guidelines,” the post further stated. “We are making every effort to provide the affected team member and our broader team with the necessary resources and support.”
Printed signs taped to the doors of the store did not indicate that the temporary closure had anything to do with COVID-19.
Motorists continued to pull into the store’s parking lot Monday evening, with some parking next to gas pumps only to realize that the pumps were turned off.
According to the Turkey Hill website, within the past week other stores it operates–including stores in Easton and Emmaus–have also temporarily closed for sanitizing and cleaning after individuals who work in them tested positive for COVID-19.
The positive test results come amid an increase in COVID-19 cases in both Lehigh and Northampton counties, as well as across Pennsylvania as a whole.
Motorists who attempted to fill up their tanks at the Coopersburg Turkey Hill on Rt. 309 were forced to seek gas elsewhere Monday evening. The store is temporarily closed after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19, the company said.
