How You Can Support Small Business During COVID-19
Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities but many of them have been stopped in their tracks by the coronavirus pandemic. Many have found ways to innovate and adapt during this time but the impact – and potential future impact – is great.
While isolating for the past six weeks, we’ve saved a lot of money that would normally be spent out with friends, buying coffee on the way to work, etc. So we’ve been trying to find ways to support local businesses with all that money we’ve saved.
Here are some ways to support your favorite small business during this time:
Order Take Out or Delivery
Plenty of restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops are still open and offering take out or delivery. Consider setting aside a certain amount of your budget each week (perhaps that amount that usually goes toward happy hours and your morning coffee) to ordering dinner from one of your local restaurants.
Rather than ordering through GrubHub, Cavier, or other delivery apps, consider looking for a direct order option from the restaurant’s website (or, you know, pretend it’s 1998 and call them directly). This will help to ensure 100% of your money goes to the business.
Your local coffee shop is likely selling coffee beans, donuts, or other goodies so rather than picking up your beans at the grocery store, place an order with them. We’re planning to call a local shop this week to determine if I can start getting cold brew from them instead of buying it pre-packaged at the grocery story.
Pre-Order Gift Cards or Class Passes
If your favorite small business doesn’t offer things like food, beer, or coffee, supporting them may be a little more complicated. This could be an opportunity to give them money now that you can cash in on later. Try pre-ordering class passes from your favorite studio or simply order a gift card from any local business.
Buy Some ‘Swag’ or Quarantine Essentials
We all need some extra loungewear or essentials for living in our home for 3+ straight months (candles have gone must faster in my home as I’ve tried to calm myself every day). Rather than ordering from Fabletics (guilty because I have credits) or Amazon, try ordering these essentials from local businesses.
Especially as some stay-at-home restrictions lift, many of our favorite boutiques are going to be able to do delivery or curbside pickup. Order candles, loungewear, incense, puzzles, games, and other essentials from these local business and that could make all the difference.
If you’re looking for someone to support, my favorite local boutique (HazelChicago.com) is offering these awesome “social distancing supplies” care packages.
Not Sure, Just Ask
If you have a specific business in mind, the best thing you can do is ask them the best way to support them during this time. Shoot them an email or a DM and find out what you can do.
If you need recommendations in Chicago…
✨I bought a class pack and some awesome swag from my pals at Coconut Yoga Chicago.
✨I purchased a gift card from my hairstylist at JWade Studio.
✨We order take out from a local restaurant at least once a week. Some favorites include: The Bad Apple, The Pasta Bowl, XOchimilco, Indian Clay Pot, and The Red Lion Lincoln Square.
✨We’re ordering our beer from local breweries like Dovetail, Half Acre, and Begyle Brewing.
✨I got some new home office swag (an awesome desk pad) from the trust Snappy Printing + Graphics.
✨I fulfill my donut needs (and get my butt out of bed early) almost weekly by ordering delivery from Stan’s Donuts and Do-Rite Donuts.
We love these local places and can’t wait to visit them in person again. But until then, we hope these small bits of support help them in some way.
