COVID-19 has changed a lot about the way people live their daily lives. One industry that has been impacted greatly are the local grocery stores. Local grocers may not be able to match the prices and contactless ease of the larger chain stores, but they are important businesses in the community, often being an anchor for other businesses. 

COVID-19’s Impact on Small Stores

Many local stores reported that business was booming right after the pandemic hit. Kathy Woolard, manager of the Santiago Country Store, said that customers were scared early in the year, driving them to stock up on extra supplies, and shop locally, where they knew the staff personally. Debbie Knutson, manager at Food Pride in Becker, noted that customers started to move more quickly through the store, wanting to limit their exposure as much as possible. Owner of the Briggs Lake General Store, Jen Wipper, said that it was difficult to keep the shelves stocked, as distributors ran short on items, and she had to source them herself.

Now that people have adjusted to the restrictions from COVID-19, all three of these stores reported that business has settled back to a more typical level. People are beginning to feel more comfortable returning to the big chain stores, and are drawn in by special COVID-19 services, like curbside pickup. 

COVID-19’s Impact on Coborn’s

Coborn’s may be larger than the other local stores highlighted in this article, but they have become the go-to store in Big Lake, Clearwater, and other surrounding areas. Being a larger store with more resources, Coborn’s is able to provide some much-needed resources to customers impacted by COVID-19, such as curbside pick-up.

One anonymous shopper decided to try the curbside pick-up service when she was sick with COVID-19. 

“I used to think it was really lazy to have someone bring your food to you,” she said. “But when I was sick it was great. I popped open my trunk and waited. They had my food out within minutes. And everything was fresh. It was clear the employees took the time to look over the produce and pick out good-quality items.”

Dennis Host, media representative for Coborn’s, said that the curbside pick-up service is a great way to add an extra layer of security to the shopping experience, and is available at all the Coborn’s locations. 

Coborn’s is also making sure to sanitize their stores and shopping carts on a regular basis. They make sure all their patrons have masks while shopping. And they’ve provided signage on their floors directing customers to remain six feet apart.

Host says that the pandemic has really changed the way management communicates. 

“We started holding daily meetings for the senior executives,” Host said. “Now we are holding those meetings twice daily, just trying to keep up with all the changes.”

He also said that demand for products is way up, as people choose to cook their meals at home instead of going out, kids are at home for lunch rather than at school, and customers experiment with baking and cooking to fill their free time.

The Importance of Local Grocery Stores

“Local grocery stores are the backbone of the community,” said Julie Tesch, CEO of the research organization Center for Rural Policy and Development. Local stores do a lot to support their community. Residents tend to feel safer when they know who is stocking the shelves, the aisles serve as impromptu gathering places between neighbors, and many grocery stores contribute to the good of the community by sponsoring youth activities and town events. Local shops are also important for members of the community who don’t have the means to travel to the larger department stores – they rely on local places to get their food and other necessities. “Having a grocery store is the sign of the thriving community,” Tesch stated.

Community Support

All five stores wished to extend a big thank you to their customers who continue to support them. Wipper noted that many customers didn’t realize the Briggs Lake General Store had essential items, like bread and milk. She said she’s grateful when people choose to buy these items locally. 

Knutson said that she would like Food Pride customers to know that the staff is doing the best they can to mask up and ask other customers to wear masks in order to keep the shopping experience safe for everyone. 

Woolard stated that she is incredibly thankful for the loyal customers who always support the Santiago Country Store. 

Host, from Coborn’s, encourages patrons to make use of the curbside services if they are feeling sick, to avoid spreading illness to the staff. 

Whether one chooses to support the mom-and-pop shop on the corner, or makes use of Coborn’s extra safety precautions, shopping local can have an awesome impact on the community during this difficult time. That money will channelled back into the community, and can help neighbors who have lost jobs or are stuck at home with an illness.