Sarah Mountain
Arts & Living Editor
The coronavirus has uprooted life at every level: globally, nationally and most definitely locally. Whether you’re a resident of Troy or are back home to ride out this new normal, supporting your local businesses is an essential part of helping your community through this difficult time.
Many businesses are being deemed non-essential and are therefore cutting their hours or completely shutting down due to local and state government mandates, so now is the perfect time to rally behind your community.
While we are under quarantine and following social distancing guidelines, our money is no longer going into the gyms or the cafés or boutiques it normally would on our way to work or in our regular schedules.
While most of Troy’s lovely downtown square is no longer open to the public, some stores still offer online shopping with delivery available. Sips on the Square recently even offered pizza making kits for families to pick up. If you don’t feel up to shopping, many businesses sell gift cards and certificates, which will make for good use when they re-open.
In the food service sector, try to order from non-chain restaurants like Trojan Teriyaki and Flo’s. They’re surely in need of support more than McDonald’s is.
Delivery and takeout services are also a great thing to take advantage of right now. Kat’s Delivery and DoorDash are both still running, so order some dinner in if you can and tip your drivers!
If you pick up food in-store, tip the host and the workers. They are risking their health for a minimum wage paycheck, and they should be thanked for still providing the services we need.
But why should we be putting money into these businesses right now?
First of all, supporting the people of our community will allow Troy (or your hometown) to bounce back better once this is all over. Our small businesses are vital to the economic success of our communities, and as consumers, we hold a lot of control in whether they succeed or fail.
Additionally, some of the small businesses in the community right now are the ones trying their hardest not to lay off workers during these trying times. Many larger corporations aren’t doing the same, so putting your money into the locals is beneficial to more than just their owners.
Keeping your money in the local business sector right now will have positive repercussions down the line and keep the spirit of the community high. Leaning on each other is what small communities are supposed to do best, so let’s live by that.