Click here to subscribe today or Login.
I’ve been reflecting a lot during the stay-at-home order and thinking about how many things I’ve taken for granted.
The fun nights out with friends at crowded bars and restaurants.
The ability and freedom to run errands and actually smile at people in the community without our faces covered.
The comradery of people at the gym all working toward common goals of health and wellness giving high-fives.
There’s so much we miss right now, and there’s a lot to feel stressed about, if you let yourself. I’m doing my best to stay positive and to remind myself that we’re lucky to have roofs over our heads and food on the table.
One of my favorite people and someone I’ve been talking with a lot recently during all of this is my friend Ruth Corcoran, owner of Corcoran Communications who used to operate Cork Bar & Restaurant.
We’ve talked about how we never thought we’d see such a situation in our lifetimes, how we miss many parts of our past lives from just a few weeks ago and how the community needs to keep rallying together to keep small businesses afloat.
Ever thoughtful and looking at the big picture, last week Ruth shared some helpful tips as a small business owner that we can all consider during this time.
I thought I would pass them along today, in case they help anyone reading. Here they are (with some paraphrasing):
• Call or text your hairstylist or barber to order some gift cards. You’ll eventually use them, and they could really use the money now. This goes for your favorite restaurants, local landscaper, florist, gift shop and other small businesses as well.
• Order takeout. You can cook at home, of course, but you can also still make it a point to order takeout from small, local restaurants a few times a week. These restaurants really need the income and don’t want their businesses to fail, so let’s help them succeed. Also, remember to leave them a review. Restaurants depend on those to acquire new customers. They mean more than you know.
• Order products online from local businesses. Mother’s Day is next month, so order something from a local jeweler, gift shop or florist. We have so many.
• Leave a message of support for a local business, call or post it online. They’ll be grateful.
The above is all so true and very much within our abilities. If we try, we can all do a small part.
By staying strong and supporting each other, we can persevere.
Many business owners are worried about loans not yet received, and thousands of workers are waiting for unemployment compensation.
With the support of the community, hopefully we can ease some of their stresses. Hopefully, with everyone’s help, they can forge through. And hopefully, they’ll come back better than ever before.
Over the next few weeks I’ll be thinking about what I’ll do when Pennsylvania reopens.
I’m interested to hear what the first thing you’ll do is, once we return to some sense of normalcy, so write me a note and let me know.
Until then, stay safe, stay healthy and support small business.
Mike McGinley is the Times Leader Media Group’s major accounts executive. Reach him at [email protected] or 570-704-3945.