Small Businesses Adapt During Pandemic

Small Businesses Adapt During Pandemic

Over the past week.

As the coronavirus pandemic wears on - and people alter everything from how often they dine out to how they shop - businesses are learning to adapt to new ways of doing things.

But -- that's proving harder in some industries.

Waay 31's will robinson-smith is live in downtown huntsville after speaking with some local businesses about how they are doing, and how their experiences match up with new information from the u-s census bureau.

Places like a restaurant and law firm won't see the same type of economic impact from coronavirus.

The census bureau is working to give a better picture of the pandemic to illustrate how businesses are hurting and how long they expect that to last.

It's been months since many businesses had to close as part of plans to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Now, most have come back in some capacity.

Kyla mcleod is the co owner of girl code in huntsville.

Her boutique is just over a year old.

She said the pandemic took them from booming to struggling.

Kyla mcleod, co-owner, girl code it has been a drastic change, i can say, financially.

And she's not alone.

According to data from phase two of the "small business pulse survey" from the census bureau -- nearly 60 percent of retailers across the country said the pandemic has either had a large or a moderate negative effect on their business.

Mcleod has been dealing with that first hand.

Kyla mcleod, co-owner, girl code we just had to cut back on like the purchases of merchandise.

So instead of purchasing that thosuand dollar order, you would purchase maybe half of that order.

Or try to go as little as possible, just to try to stay afloat.

Not all industries were hurt equally.

More than a quarter of real estae companies reported seeing "little or no effect" from the pandemic -- compared to about 14 percent of retailers.

April fortune says she and other real estate agents had to change some of their approaches -- but didn't see major damage to their business.

April fortune, real estate agent, keller williams madison a lot of us have not felt a sudden, a really major impact on our business.

So i felt the lull, where it kind of slowed down, but it never stopped.

Pammie jimmar with the huntsville-madison county chamber of commerce says it has been a mixed bag for local small businesses this summer.

She says it's up to the community whether they survive or shut down.

Pammie jimmar, vice president, small business and events if you're looking for a gift or you're doing holiday shopping, think about our small businesses.

Think about the mom and pop that's around the corner from you that needs your support.

Back at girl code, mcleod says even through the pandemic has been rough -- she says there are still some teaching moments that can be gleaned from all of this.

Kyla mcleod, co-owner, girl code i think that going through this pandemic, it kind of slowed everybody down and it kind of made everybody look into their own businesses for what it is.

So you're kind of learning like the pros and cons and the do's and the don't's.

And taking a step back to look at the whole state -- about 49 percent of all alabama businesses say the pandemic has had a "moderate negative effect."

About 35 percent believe it will take six months or longer for business to return to what it was a year ago -- before all of this began.

Reporting live in downtown huntsville -- will robinson- smith -- waay 31