Downtown Camas is filled with small businesses and in the era of COVID-19, these shops are extremely vulnerable. A few of these stores spoke out on how this pandemic has impacted them.
Marilyn Reed, who voiced for the clothing store Lily Atelier said they “did not have much of an online presence at all, we did some social media but not a lot, so that has been our primary focus.”
The store has also has added a website for online sales and has focused on its Facebook page. Lily Atelier is not the only store to start cultivating an online space.
Jyl Straub said that the store Wild Hair has been active on Facebook and social media during this time.
“We just did a 20% off coupon for any new people moving to Camas,” she said.
With restrictions in place statewide, shops have had to go down to 25% capacity, which greatly limits the number of clients available on a day to day basis.
The bakery Cake Happy previously had a great focus on weddings and other events like the car show or walk-ins throughout the summer months. To try and combat these struggles the shop has created small promotional packages.
Samantha Horner said on behalf of the bakery, “We did half a dozen cupcakes and half a dozen cookies, mixed and matched the flavors, and we made cute little packaging for them that made it looks like it was under quarantine.”
During these troubling times, local merchants are teaming up to help each other out. They have started referring customers to other businesses whenever the opportunity arises.
Horner said, “There have been some silver linings with the community all the other merchants down here, we’re working together a lot more than ever.”
Camas Antiques teamed up with Cake Happy and Truly Scrumptious to create individually wrapped cookie bars for their customers. The antique store held an online photo contest where the winner won two gift certificates. One to the antique store and another to a different local business.
Covid has placed a struggle upon these local businesses, but each one has faced the issue head-on with creative ways to promote their store and survive throughout the months of quarantine.
