restrategize When someone is in the process of building and opening a small business, they may mentally draft responses to certain commerce woes like a slow business day or even a petty thief, but most couldn’t imagine how they would tackle closing indefinitely during a global pandemic - it’s not exactly a textbook small business issue. On March 20th, an emergency meeting was called that prompted the cancellation of church services, the shuttering of dine-in restaurants, and the closures of gyms, salons, and clubs. Overnight, businesses in Sand Springs and across the country had to figure out how to adapt - and they did. As business owners in Sand Springs have proved over the years through tornadoes and city-wide flooding, they’re a resilient bunch. Here’s how some Sandite small businesses pivoted during COVID-19, and how they’ve continued serving their customers 26 WeAreSandSprings.com | July 2020
despite the challenges they’ve faced. OkieSpice and Trade Co. opened in their new location at the end of December 2019, but by midMarch, they were mandated to close. While closed, Kim and Steve Zieg, the owners of OkieSpice and Trade Co., began offering curbside service for some items and redesigned their website to accommodate online inventory. At the end of April, they reopened for instore shopping and curbside service. Known for their rubs, dips, sauces, and salsas, OkieSpice and Trade Co. reopened at the end of April with new options: essential items, speciality boxes, and produce kits filled with fresh fruits and vegetables. The first day, the produce selection sold out. Now, the mom-and-pop shop has added more offerings, like family meat packs, inventive cheese flavors, and even locally-made hand sanitizer.
