To understand the local impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting suspension of most public gatherings and many commercial establishments, a sample of the businesses still operating were interviewed.  The owners and management reflected on the current business and social environment while providing a glimpse into their operations.

All the businesses have taken steps to minimize contact between customers and staff. Additional efforts are being made to keep the products and premises clean, while trying to innovate new ways to maintain safety and customer convenience. The businesses all report that the majority of their customers are taking appropriate health safety measures and are engaged and supportive of the changes the business had to make to move through the pandemic.

Commercial establishments contacted:

Naughty Nellie’s Ice Cream Bar: While business is down 10 to 20 %, the shop is appreciative of the effort their regular clients are making to come by and continue to enjoy having a local ice cream shop. Special efforts are being made to be sure the purchase process for each customer is as safe as possible, to the extent that all money changing hands and pens used to sign credit card slips are being disinfected between uses. Julia Rector, the owner, is the only staff on site for the time being.

Their normal channels for purchasing cleaning supplies have failed temporarily, and they are relying on the big-box stores for finding these supplies. This has increased the time and expenses required for what was once a simple chore often not given much thought.

Bear Hollow Trading Post: The boot store is closed to the general public right now but can be opened by appointment. A recently launched web presence is available but has yet to become a well-established sales outlet.

Beyond the shop closure, the most significant impact has hit their line of business that relies on motorcycle weekend events and the traditional summer fairs to sell specialty merchandise on-site at the different events.

The Kitchen: The restaurant has changed to providing take away only and features what has to be Andover’s only actual drive-up window for food services. Michael Prete, the owner, notes that the staff remain strongly committed to supporting the business and the continued provision of food to the local community. Their supply chain has remained intact for the most part, although cleaning products remain nearly impossible to find. As a service to the local community that is dealing with empty shelves and scarce products at the region’s supermarkets, The Kitchen has been making some of the basic food products they buy in bulk available for sale to people in town.

A related business line to the Andover-based Kitchen is a catering venture which is taking a significant impact as events are being cancelled or indefinitely postponed, resulting in loss of future sales.

Pizza Chef: Currently business is down by around 10 to 20% over pre-pandemic times. They are providing take out and curbside pickup to their customers and are diligent in maintaining hygiene and customer and staff health  and safety. Supply chains are still functioning, albeit with the now-normal difficulties acquiring cleaning supplies. The owner and staff are making the extra effort to maintain a high level of customer service in spite of the public health conditions unfolding.

JJ’s Market and Deli:  The store continues to operate as normal as possible while maintaining proper health conditions. Business is down a bit, and some parts of their supply chain are experiencing COVID-19-induced problems. The store actively reviews the mix of products they provide and are responding to the new needs people in town have for the grocery products typically purchased from supermarkets outside town. The owner, Jen Braley, stressed the need to evaluate and adjust as the public health situation evolves.

Ragged View Farm:  A small commercial farm producing pork, beef, and maple syrup products for sale at the farm gate, said the feeds and materials they must purchase for use during the course of the year remain mostly available. A few crucial inputs, particularly one that comes from Brazil, were recently purchased in bulk to maintain adequate supplies for the foreseeable future.

The current pandemic has pushed consumers to look at, and begin to understand, how far-flung and exposed the interruptions are to most supply chains these days. Local farms and forest-based businesses are a bulwark against food scarcities created by trade and travel restrictions such as we are all facing now and can provide crucial food products to local populations.

The type and scale of this farm business is well positioned to weather the current disruptions. Ragged View Farm provides a small roster of agricultural products and has developed a stable consumer base while maintaining some additional capacity to meet up-ticks in demand like they are seeing now.

An additional business line is providing sleigh rides, using their work horses during the winter months. While this service is dependent on good weather, meaning lots of snow in the winter, it could also be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic should the negative public health situation continue into the winter.

Belletetes: They are seeing an increase in sales over the past two months that they attribute to individuals and businesses trying to stay ahead of pending business closures and other interruptions. Their supply chain was caught off guard in regard to cleaning and paper products, although this seems to be stabilizing.

There hasn’t been much impact to overall operations beyond the cleaning and paper products. Some older employees opted to take temporary leave. The store is asking employees to stay home if they feel ill and are subsequently checking in with them before they return to work. Generally, their customers are taking appropriate precautions when in the store and typically come for specific items without lingering too long.

A surprise for them is a spike in paint sales. Belletetes Vice President, Mr. David Belletete, speculated the state’s “Stay at Home” order has prompted some of the newly cooped-up people to do a little home improvement and make use of the time.

Summary

These businesses in town that have been allowed to remain open, are persevering, innovating, and expressing genuine concern for the safety of their customers. They understand the local positive impact their business can have, and acknowledge the need to be engaged with the community on a continuing basis. In the near term they will continue to rely mostly on the people in Andover for their commercial survival and are making changes to remain relevant and accessible. 

The long-term perspective is not clear for anyone at this point; however, these businesses are paying attention and should be more prepared for the next health and economic difficulty we all know will come at some point in the future.