Local businesses hit hard

Local small businesses step up to support their community

by Abby Givens, originally published 3/26/20

Visit stores.ttownapparel.com/alignsupport/ shop/home to buy this tote or t-shirt.

Earlier this month, two Tacoma businesses, Align Business Catalyst and T Town apparel, started a campaign to raise money for small businesses in the Seattle-Tacoma area impacted by closures and quarantine measures. Align, run by Annie Wright parent Kristina Maritczak and Courtney Farmer, helps make the resources needed to start and grow a business more accessible.

In early March, Align’s restaurant clients in Seattle were suffering losses in sales. “The Amazon headquarters closed their facility, so all their employees weren’t coming in,” Farmer said. Amazon employees normally generate lots of foot traffic for nearby restaurants. “They went from having a really good January and February to not even being able to pay some of their bills in March,” Farmer said.

"The campaign... would provide financial assistance to businesses impacted by closures and quarantine measures."

Align knew that as COVID-19 spread, small businesses in Tacoma would face the same challenges. Align wanted to help their clients and small businesses in the area confront the hit to their revenue by providing external funding. Marticzak reached out to Gail Ringrose at T Town Apparel to raise money through selling t-shirts and bags, T Town’s main products.

The campaign launched on social media on March 18. Proceeds from shirts, tote bags and mugs sold on their website would provide financial assistance to businesses impacted by closures and quarantine measures.

Starting on March 24, sales had to be refunded due to T Town’s halted production in adherence to Governor Jay Inslee’s March 23 order that all nonessential business must close for at least the next two weeks. The companies are working on other ways to support businesses.

UrbanXchange relies on their storefront because it "provides for 90% of our monthly sales...as a result of this loss of income we have had to lay off our staff temporarily."

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, local “non-essential” businesses in Tacoma have significantly changed their procedures or temporarily closed their shops entirely.

Conversely, essential businesses have been allowed to stay open. Yet they have still faced considerable challenges. Such businesses are ones categorized as providing necessary services like food and healthcare.

Corina Bakery, one of these essential businesses, which sells food and baked goods near Tacoma’s Stadium district, has been able to stay open despite the pandemic.

The virus, however, has still negatively impacted the bakery. Molly Ott, owner of Corina Bakery, reported a “75% decrease in walk in business and cancellation of all major events, including weddings.”

Corina Bakery has also implemented more extensive preventative measures in light of the virus. According to Ott, “We are sanitizing more frequently all surfaces and practicing safe distance procedures.”

Non-essential businesses on the other hand are facing an even more significant impact.

UrbanXchange, for instance, a vintage clothing store located in downtown Tacoma, has had to temporarily close down their physical store. As stated by the owner of the business, Brooke Casanova, UrbanXchange relies on their storefront because it “provides for 90% of our monthly sales.” According to Casanova, as a result of this loss of income, “we have had to lay off our staff temporarily.” Their online store, however, is still running.

Until cases of COVID-19 decrease and shops are allowed to run as normal, the future for small businesses such as UrbanXchange and Corina Bakery remains uncertain.

Businesses that are considered "non-essential" had to close their shops on March 15 under the order of Gov. Jay Inslee. Illustration by Gabrielle Krieger.

COVID-19 harms Tacoma business

by Gabrielle Krieger, originally published 4/16/20

25 Things to Do While Social Distancing by Julia Henning, originally published 3/25/20

During the COVID-19 outbreak, it can be difficult to stay occupied while distancing yourself from others. Here are 25 ideas to keep the time at home interesting:

Read: There is nothing better than a good book to pass the time. Consider re-reading one from a while back that you’ve forgotten about or download a new one to your phone if you’ve gone through all of your current collection.

Sing: Singing releases endorphins which will reduce stress and increase your happiness levels. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the shower or while you’re dancing around your kitchen; your mind and body will thank you.

Dance: You don’t have to be a professional or a TikTok star to experience the joy that dancing can bring. Choose style of dance, any genre of song, by yourself or with your family. You could even teach yourself a new skill such as the splits or a cartwheel.

Self care: This can take any form. Being alone is a good time to check in with your body and think about what it needs during this break. This can include just 10 minutes of being mindful and checking in everyday or recording and journaling it.

Meditate: This goes hand in hand with self care because it is another opportunity to be mindful. It doesn’t have to be all breathing practices, eyes closed, and trying to clear your mind. Try the apps Headspace and Calm on your phone for new and innovative ideas. 6

Redecorate: Now is the time to change up your room or other living space. You don’t have to leave your house either; rearranging or hanging up some new decorations you’ve stored away can give a space a totally new feel. The same goes for cleaning!

Try new music or create a new playlist: Hop on Spotify or Apple Music and put together a new “social distancing” playlist to enjoy. Or ask for recommendations from friends and family to add in. Check out Inkwell on Spotify while you’re over there too!

Play an instrument: Is your instrument still sitting in the corner just waiting to be played? Now’s the chance to pick it up and give it some love! Create a piece of art: Even if you’re unsure about your artistic abilities, this is a good chance to pick up a sketchbook and pencil and try something new! Look up and follow a fun and easy YouTube video to get started. Or expand into the world of origami, calligraphy or painting. Cook/bake: Have you always wanted a day to just try out a new recipe? Now you have that opportunity! Choose any level of difficulty and any type of food and get started. Just make sure you wash your hands for 20 seconds before. Start learning a new language: Any and all! Try Duolingo or Busuu to begin. Have a spa day! Face masks, bubble baths, and painting your nails - enjoy a day of just treating yourself in the comfort of your own home. Or try some new makeup products, hairstyles, and outfits to get creative with it! Exercise: Working out releases endorphins that keep you happy. You don’t need a gym to have a successful session. Cardio, strength training, or a yoga flow can happen right in your living room. You can try classes on YouTube as well as free yoga classes through Source Yoga in Tacoma through Zoom. Learn a new skill: Have you always wanted to learn to juggle, whistle with your fingers, or be able to moonwalk? Choose the skill and start with a tutorial on YouTube. Or even better, have a sibling or family member teach it to you. Get some work done: It may be the last thing you want to do with some free time, but keeping your brain refreshed with content from classes will help you come back to school stronger. ACT or SAT postponed? Study up for that for when it does come around. Play board games: At home with other people? Pull out a game and foster some healthy competition! You can even have a whole game night or come up with a new game together. “We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives.” - Toni Morrison

Keeping your mind and body active while stuck at home will in turn boost your happiness due to the endorphins released into your body. Drawing by Gabrielle Krieger.

Head to your favorite streaming service: For many that is probably Netflix, but Hulu, Disney +, HBO, and Amazon Prime are also great choices for places to start a new show or have a movie marathon. Add the Netflix Party extension to your laptop to share a movie with your friends.

Play with your pets: Pets can sense stress in these times; they can also release your stress with cuddles and play time. They also need their exercise too, so make sure you’re taking them out consistently.

Try some mind puzzles: Keep your mind sharp by trying out some brain games such as sudoku or cross words. There are also apps for this such as Lumosity or Word Cookies.

Do a virtual tour of new places: Museums all across the world have offered up tours online of their galleries. You can get realistic tours of The Anne Frank House, The Guggenheim Museum, and The Louvre.

FaceTime a friend: Social distancing unfortunately means staying away from many people you care a lot about. We are fortunate to have technology such as FaceTime and Zoom to keep us connected to the friends and family outside of our own homes. Give those people a call this week.

Find a virtual concert or

live stream from your favorite celebrity: Your favorite singer or actor is probably stuck at home just like you and wanting to connect. Many celebrities have been going on Instagram or other social media platforms to spend time live with fans. Look out for those announcements from the people you follow.

Get outside: It is still safe to get out and enjoy the sunshine on a walk or hike just as long as you’re keeping your distance from other people. Getting out, whether it be in your neighborhood or on a local hiking trail, is a great way to clear your mind and enjoy some fresh air. Try listening to that new playlist or an audiobook while you’re at it!

Volunteer: Offer to buy groceries for the elderly people in your life, donate some groceries to food banks, offer virtual tutoring lessons to people who need help with school work, or call up a local hospital or fire station and offer to drop off food to the people that are working around the clock.

Develop a bucket list: Form a list of goals you want to achieve. When you write your goals down, you’re more likely to follow through with them. Think both short term and long term and get creative with it!