We’ve all been affected by closures due to the coronavirus outbreak. With people quarantining at home, small businesses are doing everything they can to reach their customers and keep the lights on. Help them out and bolster the local economy with these 10 tips.
Check out local artists
Stuck at home and realizing how very bare your walls are? Might be time to brighten things up with some locally produced artwork. Check out Minnesota Makers for local goods or the Northeast Minneapolis Art Association’s directory of artists who work with them.
Order directly from restaurants
With doors closed across the state, restaurants are struggling to pay the bills. Ordering for pickup or takeout is a great way to support your favorite lunch spot. But delivery apps like Uber Eats or Grubhub charge hefty fees for businesses and consumers. Whether you’re craving pizza or Chinese food, spend less and put more in the restaurants’ pockets by ordering directly.
Grab a gift card you’ll use later
For businesses that are closed down and can’t exactly sell their services online, like movie theatres and salons, purchasing a gift card is a great way to give them a quick cash infusion. You can save it for when things go back to normal or give it as a gift.
Don’t cancel your gym membership
Most gyms have no way of providing their services remotely. This means that they’ve been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. If you want your gym to still be there when things reopen, consider continuing to make your monthly payment.
Buy local online
Orders through Amazon have increased by as much as 77-percent in some categories. Meanwhile, local retailers are struggling to compete in a retail landscape now dominated by online shoppers more than ever before. Local shops and boutiques bring character to our community. Support a store near you by clicking away from Amazon and exploring these local offerings.
Give to the OneMPLS fund
The Minneapolis Foundation is supporting struggling Minneapolis citizens, organizations, and nonprofit businesses with their OneMPLS Fund. Contribute to the fund to support their efforts.
Donate to local GoFundMe campaigns
Some local businesses are on their last leg and asking for direct donations to stay afloat. Simply type your zip code into GoFundMe’s page for small businesses affected by coronavirus, and you’ll find tons of businesses asking for help right in your own backyard.
Donate to Minneapolis museums
Local museums from the Walker to the Weismann are accepting donations to support them while visitors are stuck at home. Additionally, many of them are offering at-home experiences for people to engage with their exhibits remotely.
Tip generously
The people making, delivering, and providing your food and other services are putting themselves in harm’s way to ensure that we maintain a semblance of normalcy. Doctors and nurses aren’t the only heroes of this pandemic. Pony up for your delivery driver.
Attend a digital concert
Remember all those concerts that got canceled back in March? Well, as much as it may have hurt you not to get the opportunity to see your favorite band live, it likely hurt the band more. You can support some of the best local bands and artists by enjoying these live digital performances.
