With mixed feelings, the president of the Oak Bay Business Improvement Association talks about his hope that the businesses of the Oak Bay Village survive this pandemic.
Martin Cownden runs Chef on the Run which already had a customer base of older adults that appreciated the storeB次元官网网址檚 premade meals. Turns out premade meals are exactly what people are looking for, including Chef on the RunB次元官网网址檚 regular customers, during the social shutdown underway to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
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B次元官网网址淔or us, itB次元官网网址檚 tough, thereB次元官网网址檚 more business out there and we want to help more people but the solution for our store is not to chase new business, itB次元官网网址檚 to retain the staff we have and best serve our customers,B次元官网网址� Cownden said.
As it stands, this yearB次元官网网址檚 Spring Nosh is unlikely though the Business Improvement Association is hoping to possibly reschedule it for the summer. The associationB次元官网网址檚 members include all storefronts along the Oak Bay section of the Avenue.
At the same time, Cownden canB次元官网网址檛 help but have a heavy heart as he sees other businesses in Oak Bay Village struggling.
B次元官网网址淭here is hope, people need to be reminded that there is hope that weB次元官网网址檒l get through this,B次元官网网址� Cownden said. B次元官网网址淚 wish I could say itB次元官网网址檚 business as usual.B次元官网网址�
To keep residents up to date on the situation for each Oak Bay business Heather Leary, of the Oak Bay Business Improvement Association, created a list of each businessB次元官网网址� status. .
For example, BosleyB次元官网网址檚 is open but itB次元官网网址檚 best to call ahead so that staff can prepare the order in time for pickup.
B次元官网网址淥ne of the hard things is that not everyone understands what weB次元官网网址檙e going through,B次元官网网址� Cownden said. B次元官网网址淲e have one man who is a regular. He wants to come in as he always has, and doesnB次元官网网址檛 understand why he canB次元官网网址檛. He also doesnB次元官网网址檛 have a non-touch payment method.B次元官网网址�
Eventually, Cownden just asked the man what he wanted.
B次元官网网址淗e said, B次元官网网址榝our chicken pot pies like always,B次元官网网址� so I gave it to him and I said come back when you can figure out how to pay [with credit/debit].B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
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Cownden said he is unsure how many people realize the impact small businesses contribute in our social settings and society.
B次元官网网址淲hen you think of how much money is being pumped into assistance and rescue programs, where do people think that money came from before?B次元官网网址� Cownden said. B次元官网网址淎 lot was from small businesses.B次元官网网址�
Right now, the circular economy is disconnected.
B次元官网网址淭here is hope this will pass weB次元官网网址檙e just in a valley of difficult times, just like we came back from the 1982 high interest rates,B次元官网网址� Cownden said. B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 forget that in 1984 many of the Government Street stores were boarded up.B次元官网网址�
reporter@oakbaynews.com
