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CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: YOUR INSIGHT
Economic study: Even a ‘best-case scenario’ will be severe
CandleDaily Bar: ‘So far, we’reRecord doing good’ JACKSONVILLE
Daily Record Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
A Northeast Florida Regional Council assessment finds the area economy could fare worse than the U.S. average. Y MARK BASCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER
JACKSONVILLE
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Kristanna Barnes and her son, Hampton, run Wick: A Candle Bar at 1641 Hendricks Ave. in San Marco. The business, where customers make custom candles, was required to close six months after it opened because of the COVID-19 shutdown.
Wick: A Candle Bar owner Kristanna Barnes creates a website, takes out a federal PPP loan and now is open by appointment only. BY KATIE GARWOOD STAFF WRITER
Just six months after Wick: A Candle Bar opened in San Marco, COVID-19 forced it to close temporarily. The store was “doing really, really well,” said co-owner Kristanna Barnes, who runs the store with her son, Hampton. The store, at 1641 Hen-
dricks Ave., allows customers to make their own custom candles. “We were very busy, having great fun,” she said. “People seemed to really enjoy having something to do and to gather with their friends.” When nonessential businesses were required to close, Wick shut its doors March 17. That was “worrisome” to her and Hampton, especially with a new business. “Are we going to survive? Your biggest fear is we’re only 6 months old,” Barnes said. “Are people going to forget about us while we’re closed?” Soon after closing, Hampton Barnes began building a website. Even though customers
KEEPING CLOSE – FROM A DISTANCE On May 4, the state began a phased reopening of some businesses shut down to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The Daily Record is reporting on small businesses as they confront the challenges of social distancing and financial hardships brought on by the pandemic and its aftermath.
SEE BARNES, PAGE 2
An analysis scheduled for presentation June 2 to the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners projects the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will be “somewhat worse” for Northeast Florida’s economy than the rest of the nation. According to an agenda item memorandum for the commission meeting, the analysis was developed by Regional Economic Models Inc. for specific areas, based on national data compiled by the University of Michigan. “Overall, the model suggests that the economic effects of even a ‘best case scenario’ will be severe,” it said. “Northeast Florida will see effects about 15% more severe than the national average.” The presenters are listed as Northeast Florida Regional Council Economic Development Project Manager Jack Shad and resiliency coordinator Sean Lahav. A 2.7% decline in the nation’s gross domestic product likely will cause Northeast Florida to lose about 41,000 jobs, about 4.2% of the workforce, the model predicts. “Job losses will likely not be spread evenly across the regional economy but will be concentrated in certain industries,” the memo said. The biggest losses would come SEE ECONOMY, PAGE 2
Layoffs at Beaver dealerships Beaver Toyota in St. Augustine said in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filing that it permanently laid off 41 employees. The layoffs affected all aspects of the business at 2995 U.S. 1 in St. Augustine. Beaver Toyota said the layoffs were effective March 27. Another Beaver dealership, Beaver Chevrolet, laid off up to 23 staff members in Jacksonville, according to a previous filing with the state. That letter stated 23 people will be laid off but lists the names of 22. Beaver Chevrolet is at 3494 Philips Highway.
VOLUME 107, NO. 139 • ONE SECTION