Rocky Business

By: Samuel Huynh

Ever since COVID-19 hit, The world has changed and has been impacted by its negative effects such as low rates of customers and lack of income.

According to Mercury News Roughly 8,300 businesses that have closed in the Bay Area since the start of the pandemic and some are still holding on.

San Jose Spotlight states, “businesses are required to pay at least 50% of their past-due rent within six months.” which could also be a factor of so many businesses closing down due to the lack of money

Tim Mason, owner of Briarwood Antiques, was able to share how his business has been affected by COVID-19 and how he has still been able to continue on with his business during this pandemic.

Mason says, “Our business model is such that it's made to where we can survive this, plus more. Our landlord cut our rent in half and we reduced the rent to our dealers by 75% and we were still able to pay the rent and utilities.”

The San Jose Mercury News has also stated that “Across Santa Clara County, Latino residents are impacted by the virus at more than four times the rate of white residents.”.

Mason also explained how his customers have been able to shop at his store during COVID. He states that while in the store “Everyone has to wear a mask that comes in the store, self distance. We sanitize high touched areas and we follow the county covid protocol.”.

Businesses are surely able to survive this pandemic if they are financially able to and if they can keep up with the COVID safety guidelines.

A lot of stores have also been suffering due to the lack of customers but according to Mason, it seems like if the store was expected to make small sales like “2-5 dollar sales”, they won’t suffer a lot like other big businesses since their business model is aimed at smaller purchases and sales.

According to Journal Publishing Inc, “Bigger percentage of minority owned companies have been distressed during this pandemic rather than white owned companies. Distressed companies had a three time bigger chance to close their business due to loss of revenue.”.

A lot of businesses have either been temporarily shut down or permanently closed because of this pandemic and the economy is at a low point right now. We can only hope that we can recover from this eventually