‘It really does make a difference’: El Paso small business adapts to holiday shopping season during pandemic
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Holiday shopping is essential for small businesses nationwide. This year, as coronavirus cases surge and millions of Americans remain unemployed, businesses are presented with new challenges to make ends meet.
One local store is finding new ways to adapt to the pandemic's challenges. So El Paso is a souvenir gift shop filled with local products. The store caters primarily to tourists and walk-in traffic.
Founder and owner Anne Mitchell said the store had to rely on a changing customer base during the pandemic. Mitchell says the company has found success in connecting with corporate clients. Still, the company relies on local El Paso shoppers too.
"I just want to say thank you to everyone that's shopping local," she said. "I know it's hard and I know our shipping is higher than Amazon. I know that we have all these other little hoops to jump through and sometimes our website causes problems, but I just want to thank everyone who is thinking local and shopping local because it really does make a difference. Not just for me, for all of my employees, for their families. You can't stress enough how important shopping local is."
Mitchell says So El Paso also had to quickly adapt to surging online sales. She said previously the company would complete roughly 10% of sales online. Now, that number is much higher. The company also began to offer curbside pickup for those who were concerned about shopping in person.
Grants and loan funding have helped too. The store utilized a PPP loan to help with payroll and received a $50,000 grant from the El Paso Chamber. The grant helped the store buy new inventory.
Still, Mitchell acknowledged that finding and applying for grants can be like a "full-time job." During this time, she says small businesses are helping each other.
"We compete with people, but we're all trying to make it happen," Mitchell said. "We're all trying to make that dream come true. We all put our own dollars in and you know that about the person next to you. I think the small businesses have come together because they realize that no one's going to make it happen except yourself."
