>> AS STOREFRONTS ACROSS THE STATE TRY TO REOPEN, MANY
BUSINESS OWNERS ARE AWARE THAT THE NEW ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE THEY
ARE HEADING INTO IS COMPLETELY UNCHARTERED TERRITORY.
HOW DO THEY PLAN TO NAVIGATE THESE ROCKY WATERS?
"CONNECTING POINT'S" BRIAN SULLIVAN VISITED EASTHAMPTON'S
CULTURAL DISTRICT TO FIND OUT.
>> THE STET OF EASTHAMPTON MAY NOT GARNER AS MUCH ATTENTION AS
NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH, WHICH WHEN SPEAKING TO MANY OF THE
RESIDENTS ISN'T NECESSARILY SHEEN AS A BAD THING.
BUT ONE SECTION OF DOWNTOWN HAS GONE FROM BEING THE LITTLE
ENGINE THAT COULD, TO THE ENGINE THAT CAN.
AND DID.
AT LEAST UNTIL THESE SIGNS STARTED GOING UP IN STOREFRONT
WINDOWS.
NOW GUITARS AND OTHER STRINGED INSTRUMENTS IN THIS MUSIC SHOP
LOOK OUT TO IS THE LIKE PUPPIES IN A PET STORE WITH NO ONE
COMING IN TO TAKE THEM HOME.
BEER TAPS REMAIN SEALED OFF WITH NO DATE CERTAIN AS TO WHEN
FLUIDS WILL POUR THROUGH THEM.
MAKING MATTERS LESS COMFORTABLE IS A FEMA REPORT STATING THAT
40% OF BUSINESSES DO NOT REOPEN FOLLOWING A DISASTER.
WITH ADDITIONAL 25% FAILING WITHIN ONE YEAR WHEN THEY DO.
THAT MEANS MANY THESE SIGNS MAY NEVER COME DOWN.
BUT SHOP KEEPERS AROUND HERE AREN'T READY TO LET THAT KIND OF
THINKING DERAIL THEIR PROSPECTS.
THINGS WERE CHUGGING ALONG HERE ON COMPOTAGE STREET IN MID MARCH
WHEN EVERYTHING WAS SHUT DOWN.
NOW WE HEAD INTO SUMMER, BUSINESS OWNERS WILL HAVE TO GET
THRAW THE PRESENT WITH HOPEFUL EYE ON THE FUTURE.
THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THEIR BUSINESSES ON THE STREET ARE
REALLY CREATIVE.
RIGHT NOW WHAT I'M SEEING IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DOING
THEIR BEST, ALL THE RESTAURANTS ARE DOING TAKE OUT, IT'S SUCH A
TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITY, THEIR CORE CUSTOMER BASIS ARE COMING EVERY
WEEK.
THEY'RE NOT MAKING AS MUCH MONEY BUT DEFINITELY MAKING SOME,
ENOUGH TO COVER RENT AND STUFF.
>> AS A LOCAL ARTIST, SHE WAS COMMISSIONED TO MAKE A MAP OF
THE COTTAGE STREET BUSINESSES, WHICH WOULD BRING SHOP KEEPERS
CLOSER AND GIVE NEW VISITORS A BETTER IDEA OF WHERE EVERYTHING
IS.
OF COURSE THIS WAS BEFORE EVERYTHING CLOSED DOWN.
PLAN NOW IS UNVAIL THE MAP AS A SORT OF WELCOME BACK AS
BUSINESSES SLOWLY REOPEN.
>> THAT IS WHAT WE'RE HOPING FOR.
IT STARTED AS A GET BUSINESSES GOING TOGETHER.
BUT NOW AFTER THIS TIME WHERE WE'VE ALL BEEN IN TIME OUT, IT'S
A CELEBRATION OF WHAT THE STREET IS AND THE CULTURE THAT WAS
THERE.
>> UNTIL THEN THE HARD COPY OF THAT MAP RESIDES HERE INSIDE A
META-PHYSICAL NEW AGE.
IT WAS EARLY CATALYST FOR SPARKING THE STREET'S BUSINESS
RENAISSANCE WHEN THE SHOP OPENED IN 2006.
FOR NOW THE DOORS ARE STILL CLOSED.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE TRIED AND TRUE CUSTOMERS AREN'T STILL
BEING SERVED.
>> I AM PLAYING THE LONG GAME.
I'M THINKING HOW CAN I CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF MY CUSTOMERS
THROUGH ONLINE SALES, LOCAL PICK UP, DISTANCE MAILING.
THAT'S BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL FOR US.
IN SOME WAYS THIS IS UNFORTUNATE, IT'S OPENED UP
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN REALLY AMAZING.
>> ONLY A FEW DOORS DOWN THE RESTAURANT THAT HAS BEEN AT THIS
LOCATION LONGER THAN PATRONS HAVE BEEN ON THIS EARTH HAS HAD
TO TAP INTO THEIR CREATIVE JUICES TO FIGURE OUT HOW BEST TO
REACH THEIR CUSTOMERS.
NO FRONT.
HOUSE ACTIVITY, ALL OF THE ACTION HAS BEEN AT THE BACK OF
THE HOUSE.
THAT MEANS DIMINISHED STAFF WHO HAVE TAKEN ON NEW ROLES IN THIS
INTERIM PHASE.
>> WE'VE KIND OF IMPLEMENTED A COUPLE SERVERS, THEY NORMALLY
WAIT TABLES AND THEY HAVE KIND OF BECOME FOOD RUNNERS,
ESSENTIALLY.
THEY HAVE ALSO ANSWER PHONES.
WHEN YOU CALL IN A SERVER IS BASICALLY ANSWERING THE PHONE
FOR YOU. AND THEY'RE RUNNING IT OUT FOR
YOU AS WELL.
>> AS STORES SLOWLY BEGIN TO REOPEN SHOP OWNERS ON COTTAGE
STREET KNOW THAT JUNE OF 2020 COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST UNUSUAL
MONTHS AS FAR AS BUSINESS IS CONCERNED.
BUT IF THEY CAN SURVIVE THIS, WHAT IS JUNE OF 2021 LOOK LIKE?
>> I'M HOPING WE'RE BACK TO NORMAL.
I GUESS WE WERE LIKE THAT IN JUNE 2019, I GUESS, ESSENTIALLY.
I WOULD LOVE IT TO BE BACK THE WAY IT WAS.
I WOULD APPRECIATE WHAT WE HAD BACK IN JUNE OF 2019 A LITTLE
BIT MORE.