protect our small businesses
By BOBBY TUGBIYELE| Lowell Sun
With skyrocketing COVID-19 cases and the fear and uncertainty this news brings to all communities nationwide, we all know that the road to recovery will be rocky. Many families across Lowell, like mine, are constantly thinking about when our children will be able to learn in a classroom and have recess on the playground. Workers who have either been furloughed or laid-off entirely are thinking about their careers, making rent or mortgage payments, or what a lean Christmas will look like for the family. In the absence of additional stimulus checks to support gaps in income, the pain is being felt by those who rent, homeowners, as well as landlords.
With all that is going on in our personal lives, one group that we must not forget about is our small business community. As the “backbone” of our city, we must do all that we can to ensure that our neighborhood stores and restaurants not only survive this pandemic but thrive in the years to come.
Lowell is filled with amazing shops and cafes spread throughout our diverse and multicultural city; so, finding an amazing cup of coffee or unique blend of tea should not be a challenge. You may be surprised to find out that a gourmet, yet affordable breakfast sandwich could be found in a café or shop tucked away in Back Central or off of a main road in the Highlands, Acre, Centralville, Pawtucketville, South Lowell and Belvidere.
Our downtown area boasts of award-winning cuisine and restaurants that continue to operate and do the best they can during this pandemic. It would be nice to see a friendly competition on who makes the best soups, pastelitos, Bánh mì, or burgers around town.
How about buying your weekly loaf of bread or dinner rolls at a local bakery? Can you swap out your instant coffee for a bag of freshly ground beans from your local coffee shop? Coquito competition, anyone? As you step onto the streets of Lowell, your journey will introduce and welcome you to experiences around the world. This, and more, make Lowell a city not just to like, but love!
It is important to recognize the work and efforts that have gone into supporting our small business community by our local delegation and city leadership through increased social media promotions, the allocation of various grants, extension of outdoor dining, and provision of outdoor heaters and more.
Organizers behind the Merrimack Valley Black and Brown Voices, Lowell Shopping Network as well as our local food blogger, LifeAsAMaven.Com, to name a few, are inspiring many to support local. It is heartening to see various social media groups being created for the sole purpose of supporting local businesses in Lowell. Yet, despite these creative, collaborative efforts, we are still seeing too many small businesses hanging on by a thread.
As we head into the winter months, as temperatures dip and we may be less inclined to head out into the chilly rain and snow, please do everything you can to do curbside pick-up, do take-out, or purchase gift-cards to support small businesses.
If each of us play our part on a weekly basis, it will mean fewer vacant storefronts this spring. Let us make sure we ask ourselves often, “which local business did I support today?” Whether we realize it or not, each of us can be the difference-maker to brighten and protect our local economy. We are truly all in this together.
