Page 11 - BusinessWest November 9, 2020

think of that could help them carry on through this trying to time, until we see some light at the end of the tunnel.”
And the city’s leaders have been responsive, Cahillane said, from a round of direct emergency grants to the business community to making the changes needed to bolster restaurants.
“They stepped up right away to work with our organization and down- town restaurants to make it possible to have outdoor seating, and make it last as long as possible. They got that up and running pretty quickly, and the License Commission was very fast turning around approvals for those who wanted to serve liquor outside.”
Debra Flynn, who owns Eastside Grill, was among the first downtown restaurateurs to pivot to curbside take- out and delivery once eateries were forced to shut down in early spring. “We had no idea how to do it,” she said, adding that it was important to buy the right containers to keep food warm and make sure meals were pre- sented with care, even in the boxes.
“I can’t complain right now; we’ve had such wonderful support from our community,” she said, noting that she was able to set about 30 seats outside and eventually bring patrons back inside as well. “But I’m nervous going
“It’s definitely remained slower than the pre-COVID days, but each month, we have been seeing a smaller margin in the percentage we were down from last year. That’s helped me stay optimistic.”
forward.”
That’s because the weather is get-
ting colder, and while regulars are comfortable with the safety protocols being taken inside, she worries that folks who haven’t visited recently might not want to do so during flu season. And while the governor’s new man- date that businesses need to close by 9:30 p.m. doesn’t affect Eastside, it does impact the operations of other downtown restaurants. “They’re very nervous and upset about this whole thing,” she noted.
Shifting Winds
Alana Traub, who owns Honey & Wine, a clothing shop in Thornes Mar- ketplace, has had a worrisome time this year, too.
“Everything changed for my busi- ness with the pandemic, when all busi- nesses closed for quite a while,” she told BusinessWest. “When it finally did
reopen in June, it was extremely slow going; I think people were really ner- vous to go out, and maybe they didn’t even know if we were open or not.
“Since then, it’s definitely remained slower than the pre-COVID days, but each month, we have been seeing a smaller margin in the percentage we were down from last year. That’s helped me stay optimistic.”
If there’s a downtown that’s well-positioned to rebound after the pandemic, Cahillane said, it’s Northampton.
“Even among my circle of friends,
Northampton
Continued on page 13
Amy Cahillane says the DNA’s advocacy work has surpassed its events programming this year
— because advocacy is needed, and events are few.
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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
NOVEMBER 9, 2020 11
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