Mom and pops need help

How many mom and pop businesses will wind up closing down like this establishment in Echo, Utah?

Gregory Hasman Photo

"There is nothing to fear, but fear itself," Franklin D. Roosevelt

The world has turned upside down. COVID-19 has spread across the globe and it is not showing signs of slowing down. Hopefully it does not reach the levels of the Black Plague, or more recently, the Spanish Flu.

Wall Street has been fluctuating like a roller coaster. People, famous or not, have contracted the virus, others are healthy, but are self-quarantined. Journalists are working to keep the public informed of what is going on. Truckers have been hauling butt trying to get toilet paper and medical supplies to communities. Even more importantly, first responders and doctors are in the battlelines trying to help the sick or prevent the virus from expanding.

And now, people are protesting and rioting, which has destroyed buildings including the iconic Central Camera Company in Chicago.

Yes there is plenty to fear. Whether the COVID-19 numbers are high in your areas or people are protesting, one thing is for certain: The biggest loser in the short- and long-term (aside from those who lost loved ones due to COVID-19 or the protests) are local mom and pop businesses. These are places we love to visit while traveling down two-lane highways.

The government reached a deal on a stimulus plan to allocate $1,200 to many Americans and provide about $350 billion in small businesses loan to establishments with less than 500 employees. Will it help? Possibly, at least to some degree. But what are the long-term repercussions from this? Layoffs, decreased visitors and profits and potential closures. Small businesses are the heart of many communities, large and small, and they need help. The customers need to come back to buy that piece of unique jewlery or a place to sit and down and chew the fat with an old timer to discuss the history of a place while enjoying a burger and coffee.

The future of mom and pop businesses is in the air. We can either destroy it by letting the divisions worsen or we can come together, overcome our differences and support our neighbors.