Small businesses with big celebrations
During the early days of the pandemic, among others I did business with a couple of locally-owned, owner-operated small businesses that had opened in December 2019.
Three months after opening, stay-at-home orders and closures and oft-changing regulations made keeping those doors open an incredible challenge. The Dipper, est. Dec. 12, and Birdie's Pies, est. Dec. 17, have made it to their first anniversaries!
Our communities have really embraced doing business with our local small businesses this year, especially the restaurants trying to do take-out and curbside pickup to make up for reduced seating.
When I look back on 2020 my comfort to-go food memories will be of pie and grilled artichokes. I had fun buying extras to do porch delivery gifting to friends, there's nothing like receiving a grilled artichoke or a pie as a surprise. :)
All of the hardworking small businesses who are able to prevail against incredible odds, able to make a living and keep people employed are truly inspiring.
When there's mention of the economy, we need to equate the word with people, our neighbors ... doing everything in their power to still be standing when the pandemic becomes a distant memory.
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Paul and Julie Amador's second child, Simon Eli Amador, was born on Dec. 9, weighing in at 8 pounds, 8 ounces. His big brother, Peter, also weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces when he was born. The brothers are exactly three years, three months and three days apart in age. What are the odds!
Should the Amadors be planning a third child, the pressure's on for 2023 and rolling another triple three.
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"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." -- Helen Keller
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Happy birthday today to Marci Clark, Pam Pereira, Mimi Eismann, Lori Dawson, Harmony Taylor, Dot Neirinckx and Tim Kastning. Tomorrow Holly Kincaid, Lori Stanea and Cheyenne Peugh celebrate a jingle bell birthday. On Friday Lee Coppess (80!), Randy Shaver, Tami Banker, Catherine Witham, Kris Wold, Krista Vandermark, Mike McDowell and our grandson Jared Gonzalez mark their day.
Mary Williams, Celeste Mitten, Terry Cooper, Carol Prosser, Rene Darby, Ray Potter, Judy Cronin and Rick Monroe blow out the candles on Saturday. On Sunday Will Kennedy, Jim Sharp, Jayson Frank, Dean Swanson, Holly Miller, Lisa Turpin and Rick Blaski will open their presents.
On Monday Jeremiah Hazard, Angela Wilson, Brad Miles, Lily Ann Carpenter, Debbie Tull, Jann Chatters, Rayna Solberg and Muni Kumar will jingle all the way into another year. On Tuesday raise a glass for Kelly Hughes, Brad Penske, Michelle Neal and Rita Sims Snyder.
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Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kerrithoreson.