Richmond Hill shoppers urged to buy local amid COVID-19

Many business owners struggling to stay afloat after first wave of pandemic worry they won't make it through winter

Yorkregion.com
Dec. 1, 2020
Sheila Wang

As COVID-19 continues to throw curveballs at local economies, Richmond Hill business leaders are encouraging shoppers to buy locally to help retailers and restaurants keep afloat while rolling out new initiatives to amp up holiday sales.

Having barely ridden out of the first wave of the pandemic, local businesses in Richmond Hill are now faced with new challenges as the second wave swept across Canada, which has shown no signs of abating so far, Karen Mortfield, executive director of Richmond Hill Board of Trade, said.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Mortfield said. “A lot of our businesses that were just hanging on their fingernails in the first wave are looking at the long painful winter and saying ‘I do not know if I’m gonna make it’.”

Local shoppers could help make a difference in a variety of ways, such as by ordering takeout, buying gift certificates and shopping in-person while observing physical distancing rules, she said.

While a vast majority of businesses are able to keep their doors open, they continue to be encumbered with a limit on the numbers of people inside in an attempt to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected more than 1,000 people in the city.

York Region was placed under the new red/control zone on Nov. 13, under which gatherings are confined to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

Indoor dining is permitted at restaurants and bars with a maximum of 10 patrons.

On top of coping with the fear of the virus and pressure of getting sufficient personal protective equipment, the biggest challenge many businesses were confronted with was “not knowing when it’s gonna end,” Mortfield said.

“It’s really important for them to come out and shop locally,” said Raika Sheppard, who is the vice-chair of the board of management of the Village of Richmond Hill Business Improvement Area (BIA).

There has been visibly more foot traffic over the past months than during the first wave, she said, and many businesses in the village have started hiring again, including the law firm she once worked at.

However, it has been a different story for the mom-and-pop shops.

“We’re finding a lot of businesses are having a hard time getting employees to come and fill those positions because people are still taking advantage of the government allocation,” Sheppard said.

On the plus side, Richmond Hill has seen new businesses popping up amid the pandemic.

From an IT company that switched to provide hand sanitizers to an education facility that 3D prints face shields, Mortfield and Sheppard each had a lot of success stories to share.

“People are so gutsy,” Mortfield said. “I’m really proud of our businesses in the way that they’d been able to roll with what life is throwing at them.”

The key, Sheppard said, was being “flexible and creative” in their ways of operations.

In the meantime, the board of trade and the BIA has offered an array of programs to spur the local businesses.

The local board has offered a series of webinars to provide actionable information throughout the pandemic, launched a dedicated website Shop Local Richmond Hill, rolled out a holiday shopping guide and is expected to put on a holiday showcase online on Dec. 16.

Meanwhile, a slew of initiatives are in the works to grease the wheels for holiday sales in Richmond Hill downtown.

The BIA is expected to decorate the windows of all 125 Yonge St. storefronts at no cost to its members in an effort to beautify the village.

Throughout December, residents who shop at five BIA member stores in one week will be eligible for a draw for five prices of $200 from local business members.

Free goods from three participant businesses will be given away to the first 20 to 50 people who signed up for the new BIA website.

The city has been supportive all along, Mortfield said, recognizing the efforts made by the Recover Richmond Hill Task Force.

More than 550 businesses have participated in the one-on-one consultations offered by the task force, and more than 70 businesses took part in the ShopHere program to create an online store for free.