Progress 2021: Valley small business owners face the challenges

Running a small business is a challenging endeavor in its own right. The pandemic continues to plague the economy, throwing unique obstacles indiscriminately at entrepreneurs of all shapes and sizes.

While a large number of businesses have been able to survive COVID-19, many others have been forced to shut down. Small business owners across the Valley have picked up their own set survival techniques to keep up with the ever changing situation.

The Art Cafe is a relatively new business that's tucked into the business district in downtown Palmer. The owner, Barb Stigen, said the pandemic hit hard, and she’s still trying to make it through without going under.

“It's getting better. I'm getting optimistic. I haven't been optimistic in a while,” Stigen said.

Stigen said that she shut down during the initial period, then during the fall when the case numbers were rising.

“My biggest challenge was just how to reopen a place like this and stay COVID friendly or socializing. We’re already really cramped… We just have our own set of circumstances, everyone does,” Stigen said.

Stigen said they finished a new backroom during the shutdown. This enabled them to spread out more and start hosting art classes again. She said it was good to see more people in the cafe, but they’re still working to build back up their roster of teachers from the community.

“We had a lot of teachers prior to COVID. We were rocking and rolling. We were doing good. I had a lot of really high hopes for the future of the Art Cafe, and of course those all got washed away. Teachers are starting to feel comfortable to come back. Not all of them of course, but we’re always looking for teachers who want to teach here,” Stigen said.

Stigen first opened her doors to the public in April of 2018. She said that she’s thankful to have made it this far, and she aims to continue her work making the cafe a warm and welcoming hub for local artists and the greater community.

“I think it’s gonna work,” Stigen said. “I’m very hopeful… I just hope this is behind us.”

Black Birch Books first opened its doors in downtown Wasilla in 2018. Taylor Jordan set out to fill the role of being Wasilla’s community bookstore, a place where new customers and regulars alike feel comfortable asking for recommendations, trying out a workshop, or simply hanging out between the shelves.

“It's more of a community center than anything else,” Jordan said.

Jordan’s inventory grew from 8,000 titles to nearly 25,000 since she started. She was comfortably establishing her store until the pandemic hit, then she had to completely upheave what she was doing, and temporarily bring it back home, literally.

“It’s been tumultuous and a big struggle, and it’s been incredible and wonderful. Those are my four words,” Jordan said.

Jordan shut down her brick and mortar store and started selling books out of her garage. She said that it was the best way to adapt to the situation and prepare for her eventual return to a brick and mortar.

“To make the strategic plan to close was a very, very big deal… It was really hard to make that decision, but it was very smart and logistical, and I don't regret it all,” Jordan said.

According to Jordan, the overall strategy seems to be working, and customers old and new have been adjusting well to the temporary setup.

“Everyone’s been very understanding, and super supportive,” Jordan said. “The bookstore has not changed. It's the same feeling,” Jordan said.

Black Birch is slated to reopen by May 5, the store's three-year anniversary. Jordan said that she’s looking forward to returning to the public with a new gust of wind blowing toward the future.

“I've been pining for it since the day I closed,” Jordan said.

Fireside Books owner Mary Ann Cockle said they’ve successfully navigated through the pandemic over the last year by adapting their services and maintaining their connections despite the various challenges thrown their way.

“We’re doing what we can. I’d say overall we’re managing alright,” Cockle said.

Fireside currently has six employees. Cockle said that she was thankful she’s been able to retain all her staff throughout the pandemic.

Fireside is still offering curbside pickup for people who call ahead or order online. They offered book delivery services for a time, but ultimately opted out since it wasn’t being utilized very often. She said it was probably a sign that a lot of people want to get out of their homes after being cooped up for so long.

“Not many people took advantage of it,” Cockle said.

Fireside moved their book club meetings to Zoom to practice social distancing. Cockle said their limited space has kept them from participating in their usual amount of community events and activities, but they’ve been able to maintain some connections like the Palmer Chamber’s Trick or Treat Street event in October.

“We try participating best we can, but we’ve got cramped space,” Cockle said.

Cockle said that her fellow business owners across Palmer seem to be faring through the pandemic as well.

“I haven’t heard too much negative talk... The advantage of small businesses is that we can adapt a lot more quickly than large stores,” Cockle said.

Cockle said the support between businesses owners and community members has been a big part of how her store and other small businesses have been able to keep up. She said the community support is the biggest silver lining from all this.

“I’d say we have been fortunate. The community is really supportive. The community support has been really encouraging. The community support makes us so happy, so very happy. I think everybody is doing the best they can; that’s us, that’s our customers,” Cockle said.