Friday big day for small biz
Matt Neuman, a mechanic at Two Wheeler and Ski Dealer on the corner of Highway 95 and Hayden Avenue in Hayden, dons his mask and practices social distancing while getting a bike road-ready Wednesday. Owner Brenda Christensen said the biggest challenge her small business faces is maintaining a supply of masks and hand sanitizer during the coronavirus crisis. Hers is one of more than 158,000 small businesses in Idaho, the focus of a new statewide initiative to drive consumers to shop locally. (Courtesy of Brenda Christensen)
Cammie Bell and Swarn Gill wait on a customer at Little Town Market Wednesday. Bell said the store has had trouble keeping reliable inventory since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Little Town Market is one of Idaho’s small businesses that employs most of the state’s workers. Small businesses are the focus of Support Local Gems, a 10-week push to encourage consumers to shop locally.
Image courtesy of Little Town Market
Leaders say ‘Support Local Gems’
David Perez finds himself unusually fortunate during most unfortunate times.
“Things have been actually going good,” the Post Falls business owner said. “It’s actually been going somewhat steady.”
Fortunate, Perez said, because he happens to sell something that’s been — for the time being — COVID-19-proof.
“I think it’s just because people are home a lot more right now,” the owner of River City Paint figured. “People have projects at home they can finally get around to work on. So we’ve been keeping busy.”
Perez admits many more small businesses haven’t been as lucky, and he’s thankful each day for what he has. As the coronavirus forced nonessential employers and employees alike to remain home or dramatically curtail operations, small businesses have felt enormous pressure.
It’s why Idaho Sen. Jim Risch and the Idaho Department of Commerce are launching a new awareness campaign, “Support Local Gems,” aimed at convincing Idahoans to buy from smaller, local businesses, starting Friday.
“Small businesses employ hundreds of thousands of Idahoans, but COVID-19 has made job security uncertain for many of our neighbors and friends,” Risch said in a statement. “On Friday, April 24, support local gems and the Idahoans they employ by shopping online and supporting the gems in our communities.”
The movement was originally intended to be a one-day show of support, but organizers extended the campaign to 10 weeks.
“When you shop at a store here in Post Falls, the money stays here in Post Falls,” Perez said.
A Michigan State University study found that shopping at a small business keeps 73 percent of money spent permanently in the local economy.
“All the small businesses do so much for the community here,” said Brenda Christensen, owner of Two Wheeler and Ski Dealer in Hayden. “All our employees live locally and spend their paychecks locally and try to reinvest in the community. It’s so important to support local businesses.”
Christensen said her bike shop, not unlike most businesses, has had to make unprecedented changes since the virus first struck. Only four customers are allowed into the store at one time. The need to maintain social distancing has cast her company onto unfamiliar terrain, dealing with issues she said she wouldn’t have dreamed of a year ago.
“I’d say the biggest struggle has been developing a policy to keep everyone safe and then properly implementing that policy,” she said. “We adopted a policy to keep everyone safe: wearing masks, social distancing, gloves, things like that. But keeping those things in supply has been challenging.”
The adaptation Christensen implemented hasn’t slowed business.
“We’re actually way up in business right now,” she said. “People are recognizing bikes are a means of transportation that’s very safe — no social distancing needed, unlike cars. You’re out in the fresh air. You’re getting exercise.”
Two Wheeler isn’t the only local shop in the business of relieving stress.
“We’re selling a lot of chocolate right now,” said April Santiago, manager of the Donut House on Government Way in Hayden. “Anything chocolate-covered right now is a big seller for us.”
Santiago said she feels fortunate her shop sports a drive-thru.
“I know we’re not seeing a lot fewer customers, compared to the sit-down restaurants,” she said. “We’re a quick grab-and-go business, so we haven’t quite felt that same drop-off.”
Santiago said the Donut House’s biggest plight during the pandemic has been a constantly changing landscape of information.
“For me, it’s just been staying up to date with what the CDC recommends, with what the governor recommends,” she said. “There’s been a lot to comply with: wearing gloves, creating plexiglass shields, things like that. You think you get one thing done and taken care of, and you think, ‘We’re good.’ And then something else comes along you have to do.”
Cammie Bell said the biggest challenge the coronavirus has posed has been the strict curtailing of what every small business needs: reliability.
“Our biggest challenge is getting the people we order from to get what we need them to get,” she said from her office at the iconic Little Town Market in Athol. “It’s about getting our hands on just about everything we need. It’s been harder to do that since this started. And that’s been true with everything, not just toilet paper.”
The Support Local Gems initiative is intended to sway shoppers to stop at stores like Little Town Market. The campaign has received encouragement from local and state leaders, including Gov. Brad Little.
“I urge all citizens to support small business Friday, April 24th,” Little said.
Perez, meanwhile, said challenges like the coronavirus can make the spirit of small businesses stronger for those fortunate enough to survive.
“If you build a strong foundation, you can prepare for those tough times,” he said. “We just have to keep coming to work and keep building on what we have.”
