It is no secret that Small Business of all kinds is taking a massive blow.  And arguably taking the largest blow of all types of businesses hit.  We were told mid-March that we needed to close for two weeks.  That two weeks has rapidly turned into nearly two months at this point.  Profit margins are substantially lower for Small Business versus large corporations, chains and big box stores.  Yet, these corporations seem to be flourishing during these times.  While Small Business owners are offered little to no support and relief.  And asked to sit in the corner and hemorrhage a slow, painful death, while being given few answers or an idea of an end. 

I will be the first to admit, that I am not an Economist.  I am however a Small Business Owner in Carroll County of a business that’s been deemed non-essential.  I am the Woman- Owned, Sole Proprietor of Cotton & Co Vintage Boutique in Keymar, MD. A 4,000 Ft2 store in a historic building.  Within my walls, I support nearly 50 other Sole Prop businesses.  I have eighteen permanent vendors, more than twenty local Maryland businesses with our Maryland General Store (a portion of my shop that I have dedicated to supporting local companies and trades) and ten community artisans.  Yet I, and none of my vendors, qualify for any aid or relief.  We each, as sole proprietors only count as one full time employee per business.  The only aid I am able to apply for is a low interest loan.  I have hemorrhaged enough.  I am not interested in owing anyone, anything more, than what I’ve already lost during this. 

Ironically, we had to close our doors after business, on our First Birthday.  It was devastating.  But I was happy to do my part in containing COVID19.  Especially since it was originally presented as a 2-4 week time frame, to flatten the curve, and protect the elderly and immune deficient in our community.  However, we have now spanned nearly two months.  Two months of trying to come up with creative ways to tread water and stay afloat during this time, all alone, with no relief or government aid. Our bills keep rolling in.  We still owe rent, utilities, fees for our security system, point of sale, bookkeeping software, packaging for the items we’ve been able to sell online, and many other miscellaneous operating expenses.  And we’ve even had to take on new expenses to keep afloat, like a professional shipping scale and large quantities of shipping supplies, so we can continue to serve our customers to some capacity. 

It is not an exaggeration to say, that running our business online, through sales on Facebook and other online outlets, is ten times the amount of work, for a quarter of our usual sales capacity.  We are slowly drowning.  And for a business like mine, there is no light at the end of the tunnel.  Currently, we will continue to sink and drown, until we can no longer tread water.  If something doesn’t give quickly.  And so will most small businesses that are considered non-essential.  Small Business is the grassroots of the economy.  We are what connects communities and feeds families.  And if things do not change quickly, the US will be left with only chain restaurants and Walmart. 

I am not proposing that we open up and head straight back to normal. Which would be amazing, but unrealistic, I realize.  I am however, proposing allowing non-essential small business owners the opportunity to open their doors in limited capacity.  It would be worth my time as the owner, and also allow my business to keep its head above water, to be able to offer Private Shopping Events.  Ten Customer capacity, one shopping Event per day, all customers and employees required to wear masks.  This would allow us to operate at some capacity, earn enough money in sales to stay afloat, be able to reconnect with our customers and continue forward.

There is no acceptable reason why Lowes can have 300 people in their store, with only two check-out lanes open and people standing, cramped together in lines for an hour, and that’s essential and safe.  Or why Michaels and Hobby Lobby, the craft stores, can be open and we cannot.  If these businesses are deemed ‘safe’ operating at this capacity, I see no reason why we cannot have 5-10 customers in my 4,000Ft2 store, per day, wearing masks.  And then continue with curbside pickups for online customers that are ‘at risk’ or uncomfortable shopping in person.

People are ready to go out.  You can see the shift happening.  They’ve been isolated for nearly two months, and they’re aching to get out.  So they’re congregating in the only places they can.  Which is causing a funnel.  For instance, if 1,000 people are aching to get out at noon today, and you have three large corporate stores open, you now have 333 people congregating in one store, at the same time.  I’m also not a mathematician, but that’s more than 10 people.  Offering people other outlets for shopping, would not only help small business, but also lessen concentration of people in each space, spreading out the population, thus also in fact, helping to contain the spread of the virus.

Again, not only is my business treading water, but so I am.  I am a mother of two school-aged children, forced to close my business, operate in limited capacity online as best as we can, while home-schooling my children for foreseeably 6 months.  I am working ten times harder than usual to keep my business going, and now also caring full-time for my two young children.  We small business owners, the moms and pops in the community, cannot sustain this.  Nearly 50% of the US population, is employed by Small Business. We will get choked out here soon.  Things have to change, and quickly. Allowing us to reopen, with Private Shopping Events, would give us an opportunity to return to some semblance of normal and hopefully not get totally wiped out.  If the large, corporate stores can do it, it’s completely unfair to ask Small Business to be the Sacrificial Goat to containing COVID19.

Sincerely,

Jessica Crawford

Owner, Cotton & Co