Dare I Say It?
It seems that things are slowly, but surely, getting into a post-pandemic normal. Business is picking up for many of our small businesses that have struggled immensely over the past year, visitors are exploring our community again and loving what it has to offer, and residents are emerging to re-visit attractions, events, businesses and one another. What a lovely feeling it is to start the summer in this way.
That said, many of our businesses are still not out of the woods yet. In fact, a recent survey compiled by our colleagues at UNI's Institute for Decision Making, in conjunction with Iowa Economic Development Authority, shares that 35.4% of survey respondents estimated it will take another 6 months for their business to recover to pre-pandemic status, which puts that target date nearer September. We imagine that is largely the case locally as our large businesses continue to navigate their return-to-office schedules and policies, which has an impact and trickle-down effect to our smallest businesses as well.
The short of it - our businesses still need your support today and every day as they navigate this new normal. And they'll need our support every day into the future. It is hard work to be an entrepreneur, to take risks and put yourself out there, and to have your business endure a pandemic. I hope you'll join me in keeping our support of small businesses strong, and doing what you can to help keep them in business.
Let us all continue to support local businesses!
--Rachael Kinnick
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