Early fall and winter after the holidays – the shoulder season, a traditionally scary time for small businesses – might be even more frightening than normal this year with COVID-19 lingering in the miasma.
Concerns about just how painful a second blow from the pathogen might be has led Durango’s Business Improvement District and other economic development groups to reimagine ways to help local shops, salons and restaurants during fall and the post-holiday winter seasons.
“It’s a very uncertain time, and BID and other organizations are working on promotions and creative programs we can put in place to incentivize people and reward people for shopping locally,” said Tim Walsworth, BID executive director.
“December is either the best month of the year or the second best after July, but the months around December can be very slow,” he said. “And now with COVID, we don’t want to simply assume we’ll have a strong Christmas season. If people have the ability to do Christmas shopping, we’d like them to really look at our local community first.”
BID will bring back its online store, which was first unveiled when the novel coronavirus first hit businesses in March. Members will gain a new avenue for ecommerce – especially important for those small businesses that have not emphasized internet sales.
The online BID store will allow any BID member to sell their wares or services online through its digital portal.
Jack Groenheim, manager of the Boarding Haus, 1001 Main Ave., said the store has never conducted ecommerce on its website because it likely would require hiring another employee, so the idea being able to market its snowboards, clothing and seasonal gear through BID’s website sounds intriguing.
“If the BID has an online store, it might be something we could use,” he said.
Groenheim also praised BID’s efforts to inform the public and visitors about adaptations required by the novel coronavirus.
“BID is educating people about the need for masks, and providing hand sanitizer, and that’s been incredibly helpful,” he said. “It’s really difficult to be the mask police.”
Other initiatives are planned.
BID, which represents business on Main Avenue and along north Main Avenue, along with Durango Chamber of Commerce and La Plata Economic Development Alliance have budgeted $80,000 to provide gift cards through what it is a calling its “Durango Holiday Rewards Program.”
The program, funded by donations from Bank of Colorado and Morehart Murphy Regional Auto, will provide a $5 gift card for anyone who submits $50 in receipts from local shops; a $25 gift card for anyone who submits local receipts for $100; and a $100 gift card to anyone who submits receipts from local stores of $300.
Cards will go to the first 600 people who submit receipts, which expected to drain the $80,000 budgeted for the program.
Also on tap for the season: Local First is working with BID to revamp Noel Night – think Noel Nights this year – to bring smaller crowds more appropriate to physically distancing in the age of COVID-19.
Singing with Santa, an evening of holiday events including singing of carols, lighting of the Christmas tree and hot chocolate will still be held, but instead of the normal crowd of about 2,000, the event will be based on a reservation system limited to 160 attendees.
Jennaye Derge, communications manager with Local First, said Noel Night shopping promotions will be spread out among four nights, each Tuesday in December.
Local First will bolster the virtual online component of local holiday shopping by live streaming Noel Nights. The livesstreams will feature discounts on products and services from participating local businesses.
Local First is using online marketplace Bizaily, where customers can find local businesses and view their current sales and deals. The website then directs customers to local businesses where they can make purchases.
“This year’s Noel Night(s) is obviously pretty tricky and it will mostly focus on keeping everyone safe while doing our holiday shopping locally. We encourage businesses to adhere to county and state guidelines and to keep their, and everyone’s safety, at the forefront of concern,” Derge said in an email
Kailee Hubertus, manager of Urban Market, 865 Main Ave., said she’s wondered about how to manage peak Noel Night crowds given social-distancing requirements.
“We are a little curious to see how it all works out,” she said. “On Noel Night, we can be shoulder-to-shoulder in here.”
After the holidays, coronavirus challenges won’t end.
This year, COVID-19 has wiped out Snowdown, putting pressure to find ways to boost post-holiday commerce, perhaps the most challenging time of the year for small businesses.
“BID and the other economic groups have been working closely for months, and we’re going to continue to do that to figure out how we can help our businesses through those really lean months after Christmas. We’re working to get to spring break and then on to the summer,” Walsworth said.
“When I peek around the corner to January, February – we’re not going to have Snowdown – so I think all of us, not just BID, but Local First, Region 9, the Small Business Development Center, the economic alliance – we want to figure out things we can do to help businesses make through the really lean months after Christmas,” he said.
At the Boarding Haus, Groenheim said the shop’s winter season is largely dependent on two variables: a good snowfall keeping snowboarders happy and containing COVID-19 so Purgatory Resort is able to fully operate.
“So far, since we reopened, we keep seeing increasing numbers, so locals are supporting us,” Groenheim said. “But if snow doesn’t come or Purgatory can’t open because there’s a second wave or more restrictions, it would severely hurt us. We’re hoping for snowfall and a general decrease in COVID, and we keep our fingers crossed.”
parmijo@durangoherald.com
