Small Businesses Try To Stay Afloat Amid Pandemic, Holiday Shopping Season
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Sacramento business associations are doing all they can to promote Small Business Saturday this year.
According to the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, a quarter of downtown shops and restaurants are closed down – some due to current coronavirus mandates – and some for good.
Shopping small will have a big impact amid problems posed by the pandemic.
Due to the stay at home order, Stephanie Bozzalla, owner of Identity Boutique in downtown Sacramento, has relied on social media a lot more to boost sales.
"Right now we're living in such a social media world it's sink or swim," she said.
The same can be said for this holiday shopping season and the highly-promoted Small Business Saturday.
"The reason Small Business Saturday is more important than ever is that it could be our last small business Saturday," Bozzalla said.
The ongoing pandemic in addition to protests over the summer have left businesses reeling.
"It's important to know this time will pass. The key is to always support small business and always remember your community," said Luis Kischmischien, who was shopping with his wife Susan.
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"I think the experience here...they make you feel like we're family, and I think that's very important nowadays," Susan said.
Stores are sanitizing, requiring masks and enforcing social distancing and reduced capacity protocols. They want to make sure customers feel comfortable because some items like those at Old Sacramento's Stage Nine are difficult to shop for online.
"We have a lot of original Disney art. Seeing it in person is key because then you really know what you're seeing," said Manager Sukie Clark said. "And we have sideshow figures that you can't grasp how great they unless you are in person."
Small business owners are banking on the foot traffic this weekend will bring, hoping they will see green after seeing red.
"It's very difficult when you keep getting obstacles thrown at us figuring out a way to pivot. It's harder and harder every time a new mandate comes out," Bozzalla said.
