July 26th 2023.
Shana Manradge, the owner of A Better Market, has been forced to close down her online services due to the city of Paterson, New Jersey, Health Officer Paul Persaud ordering her to obtain a municipal health license. This was after the city received an anonymous complaint about her services.
Manradge launched her online business to connect her community with affordable food products such as eggs, poultry, and vegetables. Manradge believes that her marketplace provided fresher options than most food products in local supermarkets, and that her heart was in the right place.
However, Persaud noted that the city had no ordinance for an online business such as Manradge's, and that she needed to obtain a retail food license with a brick-and-mortar shop or a wholesale food license granted by the state. Manradge's business was listed on the city's Chamber of Commerce website, but did not fall within any categories regarding businesses selling food.
Manradge was warned not to reopen her business without a city license, or she would be summoned or fined. This came after feature stories about her business were published by Paterson Press, The Record, and the Herald News. Persaud stated that the stories had nothing to do with issuing the order.
Manradge noted that the city needs to catch up to the 21st century and evolve with the times, as her online business provided an invaluable service to her community. While Manradge struggles to find a space to apply for a license, she must obey the city's order if she wishes to reopen her business.
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