Tips For Supporting Local Cincinnati Businesses During The Pandemic

The pandemic has resulted in many businesses suffering due to the slowdown in spending.  Local small businesses have been hurting the most since they rely on local foot traffic to keep their business running.  Travel has also decreased during the pandemic which means fewer tourist dollars for local businesses as well.  With local businesses struggling that means those employed by local businesses are also seeing their hours cut or even worse being let go.  This article provides some tips for helping out local businesses so they can survive the downturn during the pandemic.

Buy and Eat Local

While sites like Amazon, Walmart, Target and more offer options for buying things online and getting them shipped locally, there are many local small businesses and shops who sell the same items.  By buying local you are ensuring your money gets used to help local businesses and that means getting the items you need/want even quicker since one just needs to buy and take with them their purchases.  Spending your money locally means that money is used by the shop owner to pay their employees who also live in the local area.  Look for shops that offer locally produced or grown items for even a bigger impact.  

Consider local restaurants outside of the usual chain restaurants when buying cooked to order meals.  While chain restaurants employ local people often times with the very large chains any profits from the business is usually sent out of the local area.  Whereas with a locally owned restaurant any profits the owner generates stays in the local economy with the owners who hire local employees and may even support other local businesses with their money when they buy supplies for the business.

When ordering meals from these local restaurants it is best to order directly from them and pick-up the food yourself as opposed to using phone app delivery services who oftentimes add fees and other expenses that results in the restaurants taking in less money.  Rather than paying those delivery fees to some out of state owned company the money instead goes to the restaurant and you get your food quicker than waiting for some driver (who sometimes make multiple drop-offs before delivering your food) to delivery cold food.  Many restaurants also offer curb side service so one does not have to leave the comfort of their car where one of the restaurants employees will hand you your food in your car once it is done.

Give Generous Tips

Most servers in food establishments rely on tips to earn a decent wage.  With government ordered reduced capacity in many restaurants that means servers are having to serve fewer customers.  By providing a more generous tip customers can help out their servers and other wait staff in local restaurants.

Gift Cards

Buying gift cards for local shops and restaurants means those businesses get the money now when they need it the most.  Eventually this pandemic will fade away like previous pandemics, but during these tough times the local small businesses need to make ends meet today and gift cards are a perfect way to help them out.  Gift cards make great gifts for birthdays, other occasions and allows the recipient to try something local.  Gift cards can also be bought for oneself when the person knows they will be visiting that local restaurant or shop frequently.

Sign Up With A Local CSA

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and is basically local farms providing (and in some cases even delivering) local farm goods to homes on a regular basis.  There probably is no better way to get fresh in season fruits and vegetables from local farmers and support your local small farm at the same time.  As mentioned above many of these CSAs will even deliver the produce right at your door step.  Other times they are delivering the produce to a central location close to where the customers are.  The CSA service is season dependent so look for local CSAs to order from starting in late winter and early spring. 

Farmers Market

The local farmers market are also seasonal and usually are found in outdoor settings.  Farmers markets will have local farmers and gardeners who sell fresh produce, meats and more to the local market.  Don’t just focus on the one local farmers market as well since many towns and cities have their own farmers market and each will offer a variety of goods for local buyers.  During the early spring time there will be sellers at the farmers market offering fruit and vegetable plants for those wanting to have their own garden.  Not only are these local farmers and gardeners selling the plants but also giving out great advice on how best to plant and raise a garden in the local climate and based on local soil conditions.

Donate Locally

While there are many nationwide charities there are also many local charities who provide direct benefits to local residents.  Those charities also employ locals and keep their money in the local economy as compared to a large national charity.  Greater Cincinnati has many great charities to choose from such as Freestore Foodbank, La Soupe, SEM Pantry and more.  These organizations also need volunteers to help out as well and offer many different opportunities to give back to the local community.

Bonus Tip!

Support local businesses by paying with cash.  Payments paid with credit or debit cards results in processing fees that cut into a local small businesses profit.  By paying with cash you are cutting out that fee and instead giving it directly to the local small business.

Bottom Line

The pandemic has put a strain on many local communities.  Those who were not impacted as greatly by the pandemic can do their part to help local small businesses.  By helping small local businesses during this difficult time we all can help ensure they weather this rough patch.

Additional Resources 

Local Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Charities

Find local Greater Cincinnati CSAs at LocalHarvest.org.  LocalHarvest provides info on local CSAs nationwide in the US and Canada.

About the author: The above article “Tips For Supporting Local Cincinnati Businesses During The Pandemic” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of selling or buying your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you.  Contact me today!

I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, Anderson Township, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, Indian Hill, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Adams, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, Terrace Park, Union Township, and Villa Hills.