It’s been 14 months since COVID-19 began to play havoc with the local business community. It’s been going on for so long that some people were beginning to wonder if it was ever going to stop.
But with vaccinations, and the co-operation of most Albertans, who have maintained social isolation, it’s beginning to look like we’re turning the corner. Just this week the numbers of infections and hospitalizations seem to be starting to drop.
I decided to ask some business owners whom I’ve previously profiled how the downturn has impacted them.
For Wayne Austen of Austen Jewellers, it hasn’t been as bad as he feared.
“I think it’s because people have more disposable income; they’re not travelling,” he said.
The big difference, he added, was in how he purchased his inventory.
“Often you can’t see the difference between a four-gram and six-gram ring. So virtual purchasing is not good for us.” Wayne added.
Linda Freund at Rumpled Quilt Skins said it’s been more difficult for her customers to adjust to how she and her husband Gil needed to run the business after COVID hit.
“Since Day One we’ve allowed just one person at a time into the store, so two people are never rubbing shoulders.”
Linda and Gil also had to become much more creative about choosing and preparing the products they sell. And they learned something else:
“We’ve learned what’s important to our customers,” Linda said. “What they need isn’t the finished quilt, bag, or table runner. They really need to be helped and to be with people who have common interests.”
It turns out that having other customers in the store is an important sales aid for them.
“We can give them a little push,” Linda said, “but they get the pull from the other customers.”
ON ANOTHER NOTE: Okotoks Rotarians have been out planting Canadian flags in lawns all over town to celebrate the upcoming Victoria Day weekend. They’ll come down a week after the holiday and reappear on the Canada Day and Labour Day long weekends thanks to 200 loyal Okotokians who donated $60 each to subscribe to the service. Proceeds go to support Rotary community projects and my contacts tell me there will be more flags available next year. Watch for them.
