adjustments for local businesses

For many local residents, commuting into downtown and getting back to the office resumed for the first time in nearly three years.

While the city-driven media has focused on how good the return of workers into the downtown core will be for businesses and restaurants in the city, there has been no mention of how this transition will affect the businesses in rural villages like Manotick, Richmond and Greely, among others. local continues on page 19

Having federal government employees working from home was positive for local businesses. For restaurants, there were more people in the community around during the day. Some would want to get out of the house for lunch and frequent one of the many excellent restaurants in the region. This boom to the breakfast and lunch business also created the need for more employees.

The restaurants are the most talked about businesses, but they are from the only businesses affected.

Local grocers, for example, benefitted from having local dollars spent locally. One of the biggest pre-pandemic challenges was the leakage of local dollars. Shoppers would pick up items on their breaks downtown and bring them home instead of shopping locally. In many cases, they would stop at a store or grocer on their way home from downtown rather than shopping locally when they got home. Sure, everyone wants to shop locally, but often convenience trumps good intentions.

Another factor in retail has been the selection of goods that are in demand and sold because of the pandemic. Clothing stores – take a place like Nin Collection for example – carried a certain line of ladies wear that was ideal for the business professional. But what happened when that business professional wanted to wear something much more casual while working from home? Clothing stores had to adapt quickly to try and address these needs.

Their clientel suddenly needed something with the comfort of a track suit or yoga pants with enough of a professional look that would be acceptable for daily Zoom calls.

There is a strong push to maintain some sort of hybrid model in many workplaces that are getting back to the new normal. There is no doubt that the local business community will be hoping for this.

The focus has been on the commuters returning to work, but it is up to lo- cal residents to recognize that the businesses in the community are also dramatically impacted by this change.

During this transition it is as important as ever to shop local and support local businesses!