Small Businesses Look To Customer's Support Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Gov. Tim Walz says small businesses will be able to have federal support from the impact of COVID-19.
The governor announced on Saturday that small businesses can now apply for disaster assistance loans through the Small Business Administration.
"We were already looking at a decent amount of upheaval before this coronavirus scare came through," restaurant owner Tim Niver said.
Niver owns local restaurants Mucci's Italian and Saint Dinette. He said he had to lay off most of his staff after the Governor ordered that all restaurants in Minnesota temporarily close. The restaurants are doing curbside takeout only right now.
Niver says help will be necessary and that government loans are a step, but that it's not necessarily a solution for a small business to take on more debt.
"Take another low-interest rate, even three, four, six percent, it's still debt," he said.
Mandy Wroolie has similar feelings.
"I don't want to have to go into further debt to replace revenue," Wroolie said.
Wroolie is the owner of MiniSota Play Cafe in Champlin, a play space for children and a cafe for adults.
She says she'd like to see grants to help small businesses. She also hopes customers will still support them when they are able to reopen.
The mother of two, who used to work for the government, says she hopes these times also don't discourage small business owners from following their dreams.
"I'm pulling myself up by the bootstraps," Wroolie said. "Not only with what can I do for other businesses, but how can other people help me," she said.
Customers can support Mucci's by getting curbside takeout during their closure.
Wroolie suggested buying a gift card for future admission at the play space, or tagging MiniSota Play Cafe or other small businesses to get their names visible to more people on social media.