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STEUBENVILLE -- Chamber leaders say if there ever was a time local mom-and-pop shops needed their communities' support, it's now, as they prepare to emerge from a seven-week, state-mandated shutdown.
"It's definitely naive to think it won't be small business that won't be able to come out on the other side of this, especially if you're a sideline business and completely retail or completely food-related and rely on a population that just vanished," Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce President Tricia Maple-Damewood said. "I think a lot of small business nationwide won't survive."
Maple-Damewood said there's a long list of local shops where you can grab a dinner, pick out the perfect gift yourself or have a personal shopper do it for you, or even go on their website to order.
"I hope people don't just go directly to Amazon to shop," she said. "My plan for Mother's Day is to do a traveling dinner -- I'll hit up two or three restaurants for takeouts, and I'll shop retailers that have curbside or online shopping. I just think it's going to mean a lot for the mothers out there to get a gift that supports a local business."
She said member businesses have had to adapt to survive.
"I think a lot of them have put things in place that they'll keep after this all settles down," she said. "It shows the resilience of small business owners. If you've never owned a small business, you may not get that you have to be innovative and creative every day. I've been impressed with their resilience, to come up with ideas that allow them to come up with a safe stream of money coming in, although maybe not the stream they're all used to. They've stepped up to keep people safe, but at the same time be able to offer products and services."
She said the chamber has adapted, too.
For the past seven weeks, Maple-Damewood said they've been trying to inform, educate and even entertain their members.
"Because we're a chamber, we get sent tons of stuff, every hour, actually," she said. "We can't change the situation, the only thing we can do for our members to be helpful is to get all this info out to them, keep it updated and put it in the most organized fashion possible, so that's what we've done from Day 1."
Their efforts include:
Daily email updates, which have included highlights of the governor's daily press briefings, information from the US Chamber of Commerce, the US Small Business Administration, Ohio Workers Comp and more, as well as SBA sponsored Zoom meetings, workshops and webinars.
A coronavirus resource page on the chamber website, keying on local, state and federal information and resources, It includes information from the Small Business Association on financial assistance, helpful links and guides for safely reopening a business, promotional programs to help spread the word about a business' hours, products and services and more, and SBA guidance listing local lenders, accountants and financial planners.
There's also the "Chamber Exchange," a free classified section of the weekly newsletter where members may list things like office furniture or supplies that they no longer need and also make "asks" for items they are in need of; free member blurbs in the Chamber's weekly newsletter and free social media posts with business updates posted to the Chamber's Facebook page.
Members also can access the chamber's Small Business Assistance Team, staffers and volunteers assisting with promotions, social media, research, creative services, financial consulting and more, as well as Business Re-Opening Checklists and industry guides.
"Takeout Takeover"," a marketing piece listing member restaurant information and updates that's continually promoted on social media, to the Chamber database of over 700 and in the weekly newsletter.
A "We're Open" listing of essential businesses along with their hours, product & service limitations and coronavirus-related changes, with a corresponding "We're Open" video series featuring local businesses and their employees, and virtual networking events including "First Friday" and "Coffee & Connections."
An employer survey to assist with finding employees for businesses who need them and direct them to other resources.
Members can also participate in "Feeding the Front Lines," a program that allows people to call a participating restaurant and purchase a gift card that's sent directly to Trinity Health System to be donated to employees.
And, on the lighter side, Maple-Damewood said there's a "Take Five" program designed to be fun and light, bringing some levity to chamber members -- including a COVID Bingo game, a "How To" video series, "Luscious Leftovers," a Facebook program featuring photo and recipe posts made with "double orders" from local restaurants.
"I think one of the most we've done is the resource page, just because we change it all the time," she said. "So if you can't catch the governor's briefing or you can't remember the stay at home order, if there's anything you need to look up quickly, (it's there). There's links to articles, printable signs for office that lets you list the safety precautions you're taking. We call it a business toolkit -- some people will use everything on the list, some people won't use any, but the site lets you get your hands on current information."
She said they're also getting ready to start a "how to" video series next week "where members can send in (videos) showing how to do things like cut your hair or change the oil in your car if people can't get out and get it done."
Maple-Damewood said the goal is to provide members with information they can use and making sure they know, "We didn't close up shop and leave -- we're here. Whatever they need they can call us and if we don't have (the answer), we'll find it."
Local businesses, organizations, churches and non-profits in need of assistance or interested in joining the chamber can call 740.282.6226, or go to their website -- www.jeffersoncountychamber.com -- and email them.