Help Is Out There for Starting a Business By ROBERT A. DEFRANK Staff Writer Starting a business in the hopefully postCOVID-19 world of 2021 can be an intimidating undertaking, but there are resources available to help people who want to take that step. St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce Director Wendy Anderson said there are a wide variety of business possibilities and the pandemic has not slowed down entrepreneurs. Many have taken to using other options. “During COVID we’ve had several businesses, brand-new businesses, open and take advantage of the idea you don’t have to have a salesperson. They can run a business on their own with a website, with a Facebook live, and it’s a lot easier. They can alter their hours and it’s beneficial to them because they are open basically 24 hours a day,” she said. “It’s actually a benefit to be able to do that. We’ve had a lot of small businesses open because of that.” She added that online meetings and interactions are still possible through a number of platforms. “You can still make con-
Small Businesses ∫ Online meetings are a great alternative to face-to-face meetings to make important connections to get a business off the ground. ∫ New business owners now need to bake a new ingredient into their plans. COVID-19 precautions now must be a part of the strategy. ∫ Starting a new business in a pandemic can be done, but the owners need to be realistic about their goals, or else a new business can be a shortlived business. nections. You can still talk to people. You can still see their faces and their expressions,” she said. Anderson added that the chamber has continued to hold networking sessions online and intends to begin meeting soon at a venue large enough to be compliant with social distancing. Anderson said businesses such as restaurants, bars, barber shops and boutiques also persist, although some of the communal atmosphere at those places has changed. “I get my nails done. I go in, I’m wearing my
mask, they’re wearing their mask. It’s a different way of getting your hair cut. It’s not as personal,” she said. “I still feel like I’m safe. They have hand sanitizers at every station. … I’m more cautious. It’s become a way of life. “It’s a little different, but it’s doable,” she said, adding that local barbers and other professionals are enforcing mask policies. That was not the case a few months ago, when the Belmont County Health Department attributed some isolated outbreaks of COVID-19 to salons and spas where masks were
Photo by Robert A. DeFrank
Marlee Wellman, lead barista for the Flatiron Coffee Shop in St. Clairsville, prepares a brew. The business went into partnership with Three Labs Salvage during the COVID-19 pandemic.
not worn. Lynn Jeffries, owner of Three Labs Salvage in St. Clairsville, has been in business for several years but said she might have started her business even during the pandemic. “I don’t know that I would be discouraged. There are many ways now to promote a small business,” she said. “There are ways to still serve customers without them having to come into your physical location.”
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Her business also partnered with the Flatiron Coffee Shop, which set up in her premises during the pandemic. Blake Porterfield, who does marketing work for businesses including the Route 40 LumberJaxe family gaming venue in Belmont, said business has continued despite COVID restrictions. “It’s a lot of fun and people seem to enjoy going out there,” he said of the facility near Morris-
town. He added that the marketing field has many opportunities. “There’s a lot of very intelligent businesspeople here; however, with the marketing trends changing so rapidly with the advancement of technology and social media, a lot of these people that are very savvy businesspeople aren’t very inclined with the new fast-moving technologies,” he said. (Please see HELP, Page 8)
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Small Businesses Thankful for Regular Customers By JOSELYN KING Staff Writer For much of 2020, hairstyling salons were closed in Ohio, but that didn’t stop some regular customers from continuing to support A Cut Above hair salon in Martins Ferry. “It was our customer base that kept us afloat,” said owner Chris Cole. “We had regular customers paying for the coloring service they get every month — even though they couldn’t come in and didn’t get the service. They told me they had planned to pay for it, and were going to pay for it anyway. “They did that just to keep us open.” Cole and Stacy Dietz, owners of the Ditto Boutique in the Woodsdale section of Wheeling, were among local small shop owners who used new technology — and a few tried and true marketing techniques — to stay in touch and meet the needs of their customer base during the pandemic. Dietz said she and some employees found themselves taking orders over the internet and by telephone, then delivering it to the doorsteps of the buyers’ homes during the pandemic. “People in the Ohio Valley do want small businesses to stay afloat, so they do do their part and support us,” Dietz said. “I know people call me and say they’ve seen something online (they wish to buy). They tell me, ‘We want to support you so you stay alive.’ That means a lot to me. … We are beginning to build a website because we know that’s where it is at now. People are doing online shopping so they don’t have to go out and about and be around people.” But that doesn’t mean shoppers also won’t be stopping in to the corner
Specialty Shops ∫ Shops are using new technology along with a few tried-and-true marketing techniques to meet the needs of their customers. ∫ They’re thinking outside the box with special events and promotions to keep their names in circulation and customers coming back. ∫ Small businesses are thankful for regular customers, who have gone the extra mile to keep those businesses thriving during the pandemic.
Photos by Joselyn King
ABOVE: Michele Rejonis of Wheeling spends time shopping at Ditto Boutique in Woodsdale. BELOW: Chloe Bryan, an employee at Ditto Boutique, puts out new merchandise at the shop.
retail stores in their neighborhood as they seek to avoid more crowded, larger box stores, according to Dietz. She predicts this should bode well for small shops in the future. “We have customers who know inside our store it won’t be packed,” she said. “Intermittently, there are only a couple of customers who come in at a time ...
“There are a lot of people who don’t want to go into the big department stores but go to small stores because they know they won’t be as busy. That’s a good thing.” Store employees make certain the store is sanitized, and “clean like you wouldn’t believe.” “I have a lot of retired workers, so I really worry about them,” Dietz said.
“They are really cognizant of the fact we don’t want anyone to get this really horrible COVID disease at our shop. We’ve been really good at sanitizer.” Retail and specialty shops were closed much of the spring and into the summer during 2020. Dietz said she found out quickly one of the best ways to let people know the shop was open
was to have old-fashioned sidewalk sales. Items for sale would catch the eyes of those driving by on National Road, causing them to pull off and stop by to shop. In the fall, Dietz organized Ditto Boutique’s first “October in Edgwood” event. This included a sidewalk sale involving nearby shops, as well as live music and entertainment to get customers’ attention. “We thought something that would be safer to do rather than having all those people inside the shop,” she said. “It was a wonderful turnout. It was even a rainy day and people still came out to support the shops. “The Ohio Valley really wants these businesses to stay afloat, because they know small businesses are struggling.” Ditto Boutique is continuing to do other promotions to reach the public, and it will host its first fashion show March 28 at the Char House restaurant in Bethlehem. Proceeds will benefit a program that gives gas cards to longterm cancer patients receiving regular treatments. “I am thrilled with the community and how well
we have all come together to support each other and lift each other up,” Dietz said. “I love my hometown.” Cole said his shop was closed for 57 days as a result of the pandemic and orders from the state of Ohio. Meanwhile, “the bills kept coming in,” he said. All during the time he kept in contact with customers with postings on Facebook, and he often texted his most established customers. When word came allowing salons to reopen, Cole was immediately flooded with requests for appointments from those who had been anxiously awaiting a cut or hair coloring service. “People were wanting to pre-book, but I had to keep telling them there was no set time for sure, and the governor had to give us a certain date before I could start booking,” he said. Once the date May 15, 2020, was determined, Cole quickly booked over 60 appointments for himself and other stylists in the shop within the first four hours, he said. (Please see THANKFUL, Page 7)
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Restaurant Owners Roll With the Punches
Restaurants ∫ Area restaurants were forced to adapt during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, initially offering carryout and curbside-pickup only. ∫ As loosened restrictions allowed dine-in options, seasonal outdoor dining was followed by limited indoor seating capacities with adequate social distancing. ∫ Many restaurant owners look forward to returning to full operations with regular hours, special events such as live music and other more profitable endeavors. By ERIC AYRES Staff Writer The past year has been a roller coaster ride for local restaurant owners and managers, who have had to roll with the punches through the ever-changing health and safety protocols that have come in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite being affected by the stay-at-home orders and closed indoor dining room mandates early on in the pandemic, most area restaurants have step-bystep over the past several months seen business pick up a bit. Although few have seen business return to pre-pandemic levels, loosening of restrictions since the height of the near lockdowns last spring have set the table for improvement. “We are down per revenue because of COVID, but we are busy enough to pay the bills,” Thomas Strussion, owner of Salsa Joe’s Tex Mex Smokehouse in Belmont, said. “We have great support for a very young restaurant.” Salsa Joe’s was one of a number of area eateries that opened its doors last year and was faced with the challenge of establishing new patronage during the pandemic. As COVID-related restrictions loosened after the shutdowns last spring and the economy began opening up, Salsa Joe’s Tex Mex Smokehouse’s new location on National Road held a soft opening during the summer months, welcoming new guests and becoming a popular area dining spot before its official grand opening later in the summer with an expanded menu. In many cases, the restaurant business is challenging enough even without the pandemic making things even more difficult for everyone. “Business in downtown has always been tough,” said Chef Matt Welsch of the Vagabond Kitchen on Market Street in Wheeling. ”For the past six and a half years, it’s been an uphill slog, and the pandemic has severely ratcheted up the challenge, for sure. We’re very fortunate to have so many loyal and dedicated customers to help us keep going through this unprecedented time. “We’ve taken it as an opportunity to really trim the fat and get laser-focused on what sets us apart. So, we’re limiting overhead, in addition to, offering folks the food they just can’t get anywhere else. All with the belief that we will soon be beyond this and on to greater things.” Many establishments benefited from the ability to accommodate outdoor dining last year. Several restaurants set up large tents to keep patrons out of the weather, yet in a safe, socially distanced outdoor setting. Last year, Eden Family Restaurant on Wheeling Island opened at the beginning of the year with a focus on indoor dining. Shortly after opening, the new restaurant — like all others in West Virginia — was met with state COVID-19 rules that restricted indoor dining. Many restaurants in West Virginia, Ohio and beyond had to temporarily change to carry out only or offer curbside pickup services. “When we first opened, we never got a chance to get the take-out side of the business established, and we got hammered for it when COVID hit,” Eden co-owner Alex Coogan said late last summer. “But we survived.”
ABOVE: Outdoor dining options helped many area restaurants keep business going through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last year. The large and welcoming patio area at The Char House on the Boulevard in Bethlehem became a popular dining spot for those eager to get out of the house and try some new cuisine. RIGHT: Owner Tom Strussion, left, and lead cook Steve Ingram use teamwork to dish out to-go orders of the popular Big Ol’ Burrito at Salsa Joe’s Tex Mex Smokehouse in Belmont, which opened last summer. Many area restaurants saw a significant increase in carryout orders during the COVID-19 pandemic. File Photos by Eric Ayres
The timing of the coronavirus pandemic was tough for many new establishments. “We opened here a week before the governor issued the stay-at-home order,” Grant Coleman, co-owner of Mugshots in downtown Wheeling, said last fall. “Our first week was insanely busy and slammed, and we had an overwhelming amount of support. It was way more than we could have ever imagined. But then the pandemic hit. The following Monday, we had maybe five people in here the entire day.” Coleman said the first two months of business during the height of the pandemic were rough. The business was full of potential, but had not yet established a regular clientele, and many surrounding downtown businesses had shut down or had employees working remotely from home. With a venue like Mugshots, a huge part of the formula that makes it offer something special is ability to offer an atmosphere where people can get together, connect and hang out — and pandemic-related restrictions took that away. Delivery services such as DoorDash, UberEats and Grubhub became a popular means nationwide to support restaurants while still social distancing. Ohio had permitted establishments with liquor licenses to offer alcoholic drinks to go with the order of meals to help struggling businesses increase sales, a measure that eventually was made permanent in October. Restaurant owners had to continue evolving as
state rules evolved last year and even into this year. Toward the end of last spring as the economy began reopening after the initial peak of the pandemic, new and innovative ideas were pursued to help businesses survive through trying times. In late April, the city of Wheeling allowed restaurants to temporarily expand their dining options to outdoor, socially distanced seating on sidewalks or parking areas in certain locations. This measure coincided with the state’s reopening plan. Eventually, outdoor dining was opened, and warmer weather permitted it. Then, restaurants were able to open indoor dining at 50 percent capacity. In many cases, with restrictions on public gatherings leading to the cancellation of nearly all public events, gatherings, concerts, festivals and other group recreational activities, people found that going out to eat for the evening had become one of the few things people could still do during the pandemic. In Bethlehem, the Char House on the Boulevard held a soft opening in early July and quickly became a popular hot spot. With an exciting word-of-mouth buzz about the business, the Char House welcomed many people through its doors, and even hosted comedy nights and one-man-band live music nights on its spacious patio. (Please see RESTAURANT, Page 7)
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Online Grocery Shopping Surges During Pandemic By SCOTT McCLOSKEY Staff Writer As the COVID-19 pandemic grew in its early days, grocery stores were among the chief businesses to feel the hit. Not only did occupancy limits hold down the number of people that could shop there at any given time, many locals would rather not take the risk of walking crowded aisles. So many of those shoppers let their fingers do the walking. Rather than peruse the aisles in person, they did so on their computers. Since the onset of the pandemic last year, area grocery stores have seen a leap in the number of residents looking for delivery options — whether it’s curbside pick-up or home delivery. Riesbeck Food Markets already had rolled out online shopping options at the majority of their 14 grocery stores around the Ohio Valley at least a year before the pandemic struck. Yet once the pandemic started, Riesbeck Sales Director Brian Riesbeck said curbside delivery became a popular option for many. It became so popular that shoppers had to get in line even as they sat at their computers. Riesbeck said at the height of the pandemic last year, people had to place curbside delivery orders at least several days in advance not only at their stores, but also at some of their area competitors. “We could not get enough slots open online
Grocery Shopping ∫ Online orders are a growing business for grocery stores, so much that, in the early days of the pandemic, the stores had a tough time keeping up with demand. ∫ Some shoppers are going a step further and, along with shopping online, they’re having their groceries delivered to their doorsteps. ∫ Grocery stores would like to expand their online options even more — they believe the service will stay popular even after the pandemic fades — but they can only evolve as far as high-speed internet reaches. for people to get on and place their orders,” Riesbeck said. “So there has been huge growth in it (online shopping) over the past year.” Riesbeck added that, while they do offer home delivery at some of their locations, curbside pick-up is where the stores have experienced immense growth. For the curbside pickup option, store clerks stay busy filling grocery orders inside for a scheduled pickup time, while customers are provided reserved curbside pickup parking spots near the front of the store. When customers park in one of the designated curbside spots, they are provided a phone number on the parking space sign to call to let store officials know they have arrived for their groceries. Riesbeck said while they offer curbside pick-up at
the majority of their stores, there are still a few that still do not offer it. He is quick to point out that because some locations are more rural than others, they are limited by high speed inPhoto by Scott McCloskey ternet capabilities in those Elm Grove Riesbeck’s Market personal shopper Kiya Petrock fills an online order stores. near the front of the store. He said while Riesbeck’s has reallocated some of their store employees to help cover some of their onThinking of getting Engaged? line and curbside services, since they were designat- Come to a Jeweler you can trust, ed “an essential business,” Samuel Posin, they hired some new asDiamond Jewelry Specialist sociates to work strictly as personal shoppers for online pick-up orders. Going forward, even beyond the pandemic, Reisbeck said he expects the area residents to continue E l e g a n t Je w e l r y, Gi f t s & D e c o r using online and curbside pick-up services in a big way. 136 Edgwood St, Wheeling, WV 26003 “I think people have grown used to using them,” (304) 217-2669 | www.thejeweledbird.com he added. Store hours: Mon-Sat 10am - 6pm
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Hardware Stores See More DIY-ers Amid Virus By SHELLEY HANSON Staff Writer The COVID-19 pandemic — because of its orders, curfews and cause for concerns in general — meant more people stayed at home during the past year. This left many people with time to take a closer look at what needed to be done to their homes in terms of repairs and improvements. From simple coats of paint on the walls to construction or renovations of whole rooms, many across the United States found themselves with time to do such projects. Hardware stores across the country likely welcomed such business since their bottom lines began feeling the pinch in the loss of dollars not spent by thousands of others who were laid off. Along with big box retailers such as Lowe’s, Home Depot and others, local hardware stores also helped people find what they needed to make their home projects go smoothly. And they continue to do so today. Mike Miklas, owner of Ferry Hardware in Martins Ferry, said his store has had ups and downs during the pandemic, but he is grateful his business was deemed essential by the state early on.
Hardware Stores ∫ While their purchases haven’t totally offset the drop in larger companies and their bulk purchases, hardware stores have gotten a boost from the do-it-yourself crowd. ∫Stores are posting tips online for the DIYers to give them ideas on how to make improvements to their homes. ∫ As stimulus checks hit people’s bank accounts, they often use that money to hit the hardware stores to start new projects.
“I feel terrible for the businesses that couldn’t stay open,” he added. Still, in the beginning of the stay-at-home order, it was rough. “Early on it was a ghost town for the first three to four weeks,” he said. “When the stimulus came out, everyone started coming out.” Miklas said his biggest seller was paint, but people also purchased new fixtures to spruce up their bathrooms and kitchens, too. “Ever since then it’s been steady,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it’s back to normal, but we’re seeing more and more come out again. The only thing that isn’t normal is the mask.”
Miklas said lately he has seen some new faces come into the store, even though it sometimes is difficult to identify the old ones under the masks people are still required to wear in shops. He said there is a big demand for salt for sidewalks. His store has it in stock, while other places can’t get their hands on it. ICR Equipment Rental, Sales and Supplies, which has locations in Bellaire and St. Clairsville, also noticed an increase in people wanting to tackle projects inside their homes, said Chris Liebers, marketing manager for ICR. “We saw a big rise in DIY. We sold a lot of
Photo Provided
Painting kits are shown on sale last summer at Ferry Hardware to help DIYers get their new projects done.
paint and a lot of tool sets. We saw a lot of small equipment rentals for people doing landscaping that they didn’t have time to do when they were working,” he said. Liebers noted the DIYers did not completely offset the lack of larger companies not coming in for equipment and rentals during Ohio’s stay at home order, but it was helpful. “It was nice to see new customers coming in the door and getting that stuff,” he said. “We were happy to help and the best part was seeing the new faces.”
Liebers said ICR will continue to welcome the home-projects crowd, but is also looking forward to its larger customers getting back to work. “With the spring season coming up we’re glad to offer help to DIYers and companies coming back,” he said. Meanwhile, the Barnesville Do It Best Hardware and Rental on its Facebook page continues to offer its customers tips on how to tackle various projects. When the stay at home orders began last March, the store posted
on its page that it planned to stay open seven days a week to continue serving its customers. “Obviously I am a big proponent of shopping at local stores. At this time there are still many business owners who have had limits placed on their business and how they are allowed to operate. The longer these restrictions are in place the bigger the financial impact on them. Please do what you can to find a way to support them and encourage others to do so as well,” the shop stated last spring.
Previously 24-Hour Stores Still Under Reduced Hours By CARRI GRAHAM Staff Writer Many stores that previously operated 24 hours a day have shortened their hours of service amid the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to serve customers under that model for the foreseeable future. Some local Kroger grocery stores previously were open around the clock, while others were simply open late. However, since the pandemic began, the stores have all shortened their hours of operation. Amy McCormick, corporate affairs manager for The Kroger Co., said the chain’s operating hours were adjusted to allow associates time to rest, clean and restock. McCormick did not say if the retailer plans to expand its hours of operation in the future. Currently, all local Kroger locations are open from 6 a.m. to 11 Photo by Carri Graham p.m., and Kroger has imCustomers line up to enter the Kroger grocery store on Mount de Chantal Road plemented numerous proin Wheeling. The store has limited the number of customers allowed inside at one cedures to help reduce the time as a safety precaution amid the COVID-19 pandemic. spread of the illness.
24-Hour Retail ∫ It’s no longer 24-hour shopping — stores are reducing hours to allow for cleaning and restocking. ∫ Grocery stores may be cutting down hours, but gas stations and their convenience stores have kept their doors open perpetually. ∫ Stores of all types are using enhanced cleaning procedures to make sure their aisles and shelves are safe when they do welcome customers. “Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve expanded our supply chain, enhanced cleaning procedures in our stores and hired thousands of new workers to reinforce our continued focus on associate and customer safety,” McCormick said. Most local Kroger locations also offer grocery pick-up and delivery services that can be accessed through the store’s web-
site — kroger.com. Walmart, a store known for being open 24/7, announced its change in hours in March in order to allow for thorough cleaning of its stores and to give employees time to restock shelves. The efforts were made to support associates and customers, according to an original release from the store. (Please see HOURS, Page 6)
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Amanda Carney, owner of Cat’s Paw Art Studio, has had to lean fully into custom framing to support her business during the pandemic, due to a diminishing amount of walk-in foot traffic. Photos by Alan Olson
Success Hinges on Connecting With New Customers By ALAN OLSON Staff Writer The COVID-19 pandemic struck businesses to different degrees, and though their need to connect to customers is constant, their ability and means to do so have not been. The Fat Apple, a bakery in Bridgeport, was allowed to stay open during the pandemic — as a food service business, it was among the “essential” businesses permitted to remain in operation. Owner Don Rhodes said the bakery has kept the public engaged by increasing the number of promotions it puts on. In addition, Rhodes said the Fat Apple has worked with several fundraisers during the pandemic, which has helped expand the bakery’s wares to new customers. “People will buy something from a local fundraiser, whether it be a girl’s softball team, or a baseball team, whatever the case may be — they’ll get an apple, fudge, around Valentine’s Day strawberries were big — and they like them so much, they come on in,” he said. “A couple places had asked us, if
Connecting With Customers ∫ Businesses which were open during the first weeks of the pandemic saw a surge of new customers looking for a new place to shop. ∫ Working alongside community events, wherever they could be had, was an avenue for drawing in new customers. ∫ Some businesses had to change their business model when the pandemic affected their ability to support walk-in shoppers. when we do a fundraiser, we do a coupon for 10% off. … You wouldn’t believe the amount of response we got with that. A lot of those were first-time customers who hadn’t been here before, and it really made a big difference.” A portion of the new customer base, Rhodes said, was likely from people trying out any new business they could that was open during the early weeks of the pandemic. As the Fat Apple was still in business, customers
looking to get out of the house and support a local business came in droves, and kept coming back. The Fat Apple is located at 225 Main Street in Bridgeport. Cat’s Paw Art Studio, a much smaller business in Wheeling, has had to change its business model, through a combination of slower traffic due to the pandemic and a move to a new location. (Please see CONNECTING, Don Rhodes, owner of the Fat Apple bakery in Bridgeport, assists customers in procuring something sweet. Page 6)
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Connecting (Continued from Page 5)
Owner Amanda Carney runs the store by herself and said her business strategy has had to change — with a former location at Centre Market, the store got more foot traffic and had more walk-ins, which helped the business sell art supplies, while custom frame work was ongoing in the back. Over the course of the pandemic, however, the cost of rent, on top of the COVID-19 closures, drove Cat’s Paw to its new location in North Wheeling, where Carney has set up shop. Now Cat’s Paw is back up on all fours. There, she said, she maintains a steady customer base, mostly through word-of-mouth and by being one of few shops able to provide the custom framing service. “Not a lot of new customers, no, but I have been coasting on previous customers … My move was incredibly rushed and fast — I don’t think I retained all my customers … ,” she said. “The move happened in September. I was all in here in October, and I started right back in November and December, which are usually the busy months.” At the Centre Market location, Carney said it was common for customers passing through or grabbing lunch to stop in and pick up an art print, or maybe some supplies. With the pandemic — and a wet, cold winter besides — Carney said the shop has had to lean more fully into custom framing. “More people would walk in, maybe pick up a print, and that would be a good little transaction. Now, the business is purely running on the sales I make doing custom framing. It’s a high ticket item, it’s a very big amount of money, and it takes more
time for me to put together. It’s not so much quick and dirty, in-and-out sales.” While the shop maintains a social media presence, Carney said she’s just not able to dedicate much time to engaging with new and prospective customers or running online ad campaigns, as her job keeps her busy. “There hasn’t been a lot of time, and I’m definitely not in the right mindset to be like, ‘Hey, new customers! Come on in!,’” she said. “... I’m so focused on running the building, making it work, and producing the work that will make us money, … sometimes I can’t be that social media person. Sometimes there are aspects of running a business that get put to the backburner as other aspects come forward. “For one person, such as myself, that’s probably an impossible task,” Carney continued. “I think it would be better to hire someone for that, but it’s just not in the cards right now. It was barely in the cards before all this. Maybe someday I’ll have that little pot set aside again, where we can consider getting help, but everything was drained just in the move, trying to survive.” She added that many assistance programs that are available to businesses are targeted at those with employees — as the sole employee at the business, Carney said Cat’s Paw is not eligible for many of them. Carney said the best she has been able to do to attract new customers is to schedule appointments outside the store’s normal working hours to accommodate everyone’s schedule, which is possible, in part, due to her new location’s proximity to her home — she lives a few minutes away on foot. Cat’s Paw Art Studio’s new location is at 600 Main St., Wheeling.
Photo by Carri Graham
Shopping hours at Walmart Supercenter in St. Clairsville remain from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Prior to the onset of COVID-19, the store was open around the clock.
Hours (Continued from Page 4)
In November the retailer announced its operating hours would remain from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. “until further notice.” It is unknown if or when the retailer plans to resume its original set of hours. Walmart did not respond to a request for comment on the matter. Walmart stores also offer grocery pick-up and delivery options for residents who want an alternative way to
receive their groceries — the options can be found at walmart.com. While larger department and grocery stores have reduced operating hours, some local gas stations have remained open 24 hours a day, providing residents and travelers with all-hour access to gasoline, hot food, snacks and drinks. Among these are Sheetz in St. Clairsville and Wheeling and the Pilot Travel Center near Belmont.
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Wednesday, February 24, 2021 — Page 7
Thankful
Restaurant
(Continued from Page 1)
(Continued from Page 2)
The trend continued for the next two months as the client base got caught up with its hair needs. Then business slowed for a time, according to Cole. While his own schedule was booked, other stylists in his shop -- who work on commission -saw theirs cut in half. One longtime employee left to take a job elsewhere with a guaranteed salary, he said. Business over the holidays was only about half of what it had been in past years. Cole said he also noticed that customers who came in every four to six weeks for an appointment were now stretching the time out as long as eight weeks. “When we were able to open back up, we had no problem getting customers,” he said. “But after that died down, we had to apply for (Payroll Protection Plan) loans. That is what has helped us and kept us going when things Photo by Joselyn King were slow. “It’s just now picking back up,” Ditto Boutique in Woodsdale strives to offer a safe and inviting atmosphere to shoppers. Cole said.
Yet restrictions on large gatherings have continued to prevent restaurant owners from holding big events that really bring in large crowds, and subsequently, bigger revenues. “There’s a lot of things we want to do, but COVID has kind of put a limit on it,” Braxton Nolte, co-owner of The Char House on the Boulevard, said early last fall. Many restaurant owners and managers — especially those with full-service bars — have noted they look forward to the day when they can again host live music with full bands and larger crowds. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine’s health and safety restrictions included a curfew that had been in place for several months, mandating bars and restaurants to close early. From mid-November until late January, Ohio’s restaurants and bars had to close at 10 p.m. As the number of COVID cases improved this winter, the curfew was pushed back to 11 p.m. before more recently this month being lifted altogether, giving many in the state’s restaurant industry hope for a boost in business. Buffets and salad bars, which had been nixed over the past year during the pandemic, were also recently permitted to return in Ohio.
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Help (Continued from Page 1)
Crystal Lorimor, executive director of the Belmont County Community Improvement Corp., said her office is one source of assistance for new businesses. “It depends on the type of business. We have a lot of resources at our fingertips. We are helping people, connecting them to resources, helping them plan and helping them do research,” she said. “That’s probably the best thing I can recommend to businesses. They need to do their groundwork. They need to do their research on their specific type of business, and we can dig down and help them find that information.” Lorimor said her office boasts experts trained in different tasks that a new business owner will need to perform. “We help them through some of the processes — how to make a strategic plan, how to make a business plan, how to do an employee handbook. If it’s a startup that needs funding, we can help them with the requirements that those funders are looking for. Funders want to see projections, so we can help them with that type of thing.” She said the COVID-19 pandemic has meant potential lenders now expect precautions to be taken into account and built into the fabric of the business. “Some of our funders are wanting to see plans in place. What are their COVID plans? How does a business plan on handling some COVID details?” she said. “They want to make sure the startup is think-
ing of all the possibilities.” She said her office offers help for the entire range of a business cycle, from exploring an idea to determine if it is practical, to considering whether to retire from a business and possibly sell it. She added that people have sought help in starting a wide variety of businesses from manufacturing to retail to restaurants. Lorimor also expanded on the types of businesses prospective entrepreneurs are looking into. She said social distancing, masking and other requirements have not curtailed people’s interest in starting an eatery or other business where personal contact occurs. “We can help them brainstorm through those processes. We’re seeing an uptick of people wanting to start businesses, and some of them are those types of service businesses, so I don’t think it has scared people off of it. But we try to help make sure they’re being realistic about it.” Other topics include the best location for a business and how much a product should cost. “We help them through Photo by Robert A. DeFrank all of that. Every business is unique … and we want to look Mike Mayberry of Belmont purchases a Valentine’s Day gift from Krista Patterson, owner of Bud’s at each one individually and Bloomers in St. Clairsville. Businesses continue to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic and see how each person can make going into 2021, and there are resources available for people interested in starting a business. each business their own and make their business stand out.” Lorimor said her office also “Every business is unique … and we want to look at each one inhas a new revolving loan fund dividually and see how each person can make each business their for businesses looking to expand. own and make their business stand out.” Her office number is 740695-6978 and her email adCrystal Lorimor, Belmont County Community Improvement Corp. executive director dress is lorimor@belmontcic. com.
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