Throughout the Covid 19 pandemic local businesses are trying to hold on as best as they can. Based on their specialty different stores are suffering at different rates. And some local businesses are thriving. But the ones that are doing well are few.

Gabriella Thompson is a student at SPA, her parents own a wine shop called the Wine Thief. That has luckily stayed open throughout the pandemic, the shop sells wine and beer. It is a local business that Gabriella’s parents bought around 3 years ago. The pandemic has caused a lot of businesses to shut down, but the Wine Thief has done almost the opposite.

“Lots of businesses like ours that sell alcoholic drinks have been doing well, since people are at home” says Gabriella Thompson.

During the beginning of the pandemic the business was thriving, they were busy around the clock. That has started to go down more as time goes on, but they still have a steady amount of customers coming in. They like most stores have curbside pickup, where the workers are wearing masks and gloves when delivering the order to the customers.

“My mom works a lot now, but it’s not too bad since we live really close to the store. We are just very grateful to be open during this hard time.” says Gabriella Thompson.

Because so many businesses are struggling it is super important for anyone who is planning on getting take out or buying other things to try their best to buy from local shops. Smaller businesses are at a much higher risk of closing than big chain stores, so if you can you should do research and buy from a local shop. The Wine Thief is still open and running, but as the epidemic continues and things evolve it is hard to see what the future will be for other local businesses.