Metro Atlanta Small Businesses Face Uncertainty As Potential Shoppers Stay At Home
Church Street in downtown Decatur is mostly quiet this week. Shoppers were urged to avoid crowds to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Emil Moffatt / WABE
In a week that saw canned food and toilet paper flying off grocery store shelves and millions of people staying home because of concerns over the coronavirus, Lori Ronca wondered how her small business would remain viable.
“We don’t sell essentials in our store,” Ronca said. “We sell things you might really want, but it’s not essential items.”
Ronca runs Homegrown Decatur. It’s a downtown shop on Church Street that provides a storefront for independent artists and craftspeople, mainly from Georgia and the Southeast.
She says foot traffic slowed last weekend as a result of warnings from government leaders and infectious disease specialists who advised Americans to stay home, avoid crowds – including dining out and shopping.
Hoping to keep her business afloat amid the health crisis, Ronca sent an email to customers, offering free shipping on items that might appeal to those with a lot of time on their hands. Items like do-it-yourself kits, embroidery, paint-by-numbers and puzzles.
“If I was home, trying to work from home with a houseful of children, I would like for them to have some little something for them to look forward to every day or two,” Ronca said.
Ronca says the response to the email was outstanding.
“This email I sent out, in terms of a marketing email, has gotten opened more than any email I’ve ever sent out, by about double,” Ronca said. “And I have gotten a lot of phone calls, emails and texts.”
She admits that while online sales have not been a focus in the past, it may be a key to keep some money rolling in, even when customers are not. And that might help her keep her five employees.
“Beyond the safety component [of preventing the spread of coronavirus], I would really like my employees to not end up unemployed long term,” Ronca said.
It’s a common struggle these days for businesses across Georgia, and around the country, says Ashley Bell with the Small Business Administration.
“Small businesses are facing incredible challenges of making payroll and keeping their doors open,” Bell said. “Especially those businesses that touch the public in a retail way.”
The SBA is offering emergency low-interest loans to small businesses in Georgia and beyond that meet certain criteria. The loans could be for up to $2 million to help make up for revenue lost due to the coronavirus.
Bell says depending on the amount of the loan, applications could be approved in as little as a week, providing small businesses with much-needed cash.
With social distancing disrupting commerce from coast-to-coast, Bell says they’ll likely be busy reviewing applications.
“We know that what’s ahead of us is a large task, and we’re going to use all the resources at our disposal to meet the challenge,” Bell said.
Top Stories
