CBS 58 | Milwaukee, WI – The Coronavirus pandemic is causing a tremendous and unprecedented strain on local small businesses and, unfortunately, many won’t survive. Some businesses reopened and were recovering and now must close again or limit customers. This rollercoaster is wreaking havoc for those who spent their entire lives building their businesses.
Here are some facts to consider when analyzing the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic:
- 23,981 Restaurants are out of business
- 27,663 Retail Stores are closed forever
- 15,384 Salons and spas are permanently closed
- 5,589 Fitness Centers and gyms will never open again
The local founder of the ‘Save Our Town’ movement, better known as Allen Busse Our Town America of Wisconsin, believes that small businesses are the fabric of our community and we can all do our part to help 'Save Our Towns'. Busse urges people to find creative ways to help businesses in their communities. Watch CBS interview below for ways to help.
- Buy a gift card or start a tab! You can give local restaurants more money now by buying gift cards you can use later when the restaurant is more stable. Or you can pay $100 upfront for future purchases and ask the restaurant to withdraw from your tab when you eat there.
- Holiday shop now! Some local shops may not make it to the holiday rush. Buy your gifts now and give them a boost!
- Tip well many servers, baristas, and delivery people have been out of work at some point this year. If you can afford it, leave a big tip and make someone’s day!
- Schedule and pay for future services. Some salons and massage parlors will allow you to pay for services in advance. You could pay for haircuts for the rest of the year now and have the salon withdraw from your account as you go.
- Leave a positive review online. Many people are looking for safe places to eat and shop right now. Leave a positive review of your favorite restaurants and local shops to tell your community how they’re keeping customers safe and healthy during the pandemic. Also mention when a restaurant has outdoor seating.
- Redeem your New Mover Offers. If you're a new mover who recently received your Our Town America Welcome Package, be sure to redeem your Gift Certificates from your local businesses. The businesses included in our Welcome Packages reach out to new movers each month as they want to welcome residents, like yourself, to your new neighborhood! Return the favor by patronizing these businesses - whether in-store, curbside or delivery.
Remember: For every dollar spent at a small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the local community. Shopping local whenever possible is truly what is best for local economies nationwide.
Both Our Town America of Wisconsin and the Our Town America franchise system as a whole want consumers and business owners nationwide to know that we're here to support you during this time by offering various methods to relay business offerings to locals. Both local business owners and consumers will benefit from banding together to strengthen local economies.
Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days of the year. If you're a local business in Wisconsin looking for a way to reach new or current customers, reach out to Allen Busse at 262-364-7675 or abusse@ourtown.net.
If your business is located elsewhere in the U.S., you can reach Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to get connected with your local representative.
Brittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations.