Contactless pick-up. Six-foot distance. Mask required. 

If we had heard any of these phrases back in February our eyebrows would have shot up in confusion. Now they are part of our local shopping vernacular. It’s common knowledge by now that businesses of all stripes have been struggling since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, or at the very least have had to make big changes in how they operate. 

Ithacans pride ourselves on our strong foundation of local establishments and community support is key to their survival. Ithaca.Community checked in with some area business owners to see how they’re doing.

Alphabet Soup

For two weeks in March, toy store Alphabet Soup closed its doors. “I wasn’t sure if we were allowed to be open and I needed time to regroup,” said owner Greta Perl. “I also wanted to give the store a two-week quarantine period so I could feel comfortable selling the toys again, knowing it had been two weeks since customers were touching them.” From mid-March through May, Perl decided to forgo a paycheck so that she could keep her employees, who were working remotely, although at reduced pay.

In order to remain operational during that time, Alphabet Soup, like many other retailers, turned to online sales. Now that the store re-opened on June 1, customers can shop in person or order toys on Alphabet Soup’s website for pick-up, local delivery, or shipping. 

Perl has noticed some changes in purchasing trends since the onset of the pandemic. Parents are opting for more long-lasting and multi-purpose toys. For adults, puzzle sales have increased. Perl also developed a new product for online shoppers: surprise boxes. Customers choose a theme and she fills a box with toys from her store which fit that theme. “That’s been a fun option for people who want to help out a friend who is home with the kids,” she said.

As far as the future is concerned, she anticipates sustained interest in her online store. “Reopening businesses to the public is awesome but brings its own challenges too, in how to do it safely,” she said. Perl’s employees are now back in the store and they’ve taken some safety measures which they ask shoppers to abide by, including mask wearing and asking at least one adult to accompany each child aged 2-13. 

The community has stepped up for Alphabet Soup during this crisis. “People have been so great about supporting us and shopping local,” Perl said.“The main thing I need is for people to keep on supporting us. Play matters!”

Zynect

Dirk Swart, founder and CEO of Zynect, a company that produces temperature and soil moisture sensors, feels similarly duty-bound to safeguard the livelihoods of his employees. “I am committed to not laying off any staff directly as a result of COVID-19 and we have made zero reductions in staff or staff hours worked,” he said. “We value our staff, and we expect them to go the extra mile when things are busy. I feel that it is our responsibility in return as a business to look after them by keeping them employed.”

Zynect is considered an essential business, but did also experience a brief closure period. All employees have been working remotely ever since, except that one person at a time has been going into the office to manage deliveries. 

Even as an essential business, Swart is concerned about visibility and demand for his products, which are made in Ithaca. And deliveries are getting out more slowly with only one employee in the office. “Small manufacturing businesses operate on extremely thin margins,” said Swart. “A decrease in efficiency of even ten percent has a colossal impact in the medium and long term.”

For the safety of his employees, however, Swart plans for the company to operate mostly remotely for a while. He is optimistic that, if his business can come up with strategies for succeeding during a down economy and customers are supportive, it will emerge in a good place once the crisis wanes.

K. Guyton Photography

Some of us have noticed the silver linings of the coronavirus pandemic. For those whose business is a secondary source of income, like freelance photographer Korissa Guyton, the pause in activity has allowed for much-needed time to refocus. “It’s actually been a blessing,” she said. “Time to study and catch up on editing skills. I’ve had time to put together a few collections and really think about the direction I want to take my business in marketing-wise.” 

Guyton is a healthcare worker and has kept K. Guyton Photography closed since the pandemic began, but customers remain supportive. “My clients were upset and most have rescheduled. People are still making inquiries and wanting to schedule shoots,” she said.

Some ideas she’s considering for the future of her business are starting a blog, gaining membership in local galleries, and working on a social justice photography project.

Julie Crosby Pottery

While a small percentage of Julie Crosby Pottery’s yearly sales have been made online for many years, most of her income has come from in-person sales at craft shows, pottery tours, gallery sales, and Handwork Cooperative, where she is a member. Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, Crosby’s business has shifted entirely to online sales. “I have had an amazing response to my online shop and am very grateful for that,” she said. “I think now more than ever people are looking to add a little cheer or something special to their daily lives.”

The Ithaca Farmers Market (IFM) has long been host to a variety of vendors, from farmers to hot food businesses to craftspeople. When the market opened this spring, in order to comply with social distancing guidelines, fewer vendors were allowed to return and essential businesses – those selling food products – were prioritized. Although an understandable policy, it did have the effect of leaving craftspeople like Crosby without access to one of their sources of customers. IFM’s Sunday market recently included vendors selling crafts when it reopened, as long as they have a permanent booth.

Community members can support Crosby by making purchases from her online shop, from Handwork Cooperative’s new online store, and the upcoming Finger Lakes Pottery Tour, which will be going ahead in a virtual format from June 13-14.

“As much as selling my work online has been a way to reach and connect with people from afar, there is something special about the many one-on-one interactions that take place during a show, sale, pottery tour, a shift at Handwork or a day at the Farmers Market,” said Crosby. “With that said and regardless of the unknowns of the future, it will continue to be my goal to bring joy to people with pottery.”

To see how your other favorite Ithaca businesses are managing and identify ways you can support them, peruse a special set of Ithaca.Community listings, titled “how can we help?” on our homepage.