Regina small businesses still impacted by pandemic
Small businesses in the city are still dealing with the fall out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chris Plumb, owner of Mercury Cafe and Grill, said the pandemic has been tough on business, with the diner generating enough money to keep the employees paid.
“The first year was fine, and then the second time around it wasn’t quite as good and now we’re in the third time around and it’s awful,” said Plumb.
Feeling like he had no where else to turn, Plumb made a plea to the community on social media.
“That’s who has supported us 12 years in business now almost, so I’ve got to turn to them and hope they come out and I mean people have been supportive,” said Plumb.
The diner has already seen an impact from the post, with a little bit of a lunch rush on Wednesday afternoon, which gives him hope the local diner can survive.
Plumb said local support is what’s needed right now, the Green Spot Cafe is relying on customer support right now as well.
“It’s been pretty tough, as you know, for all businesses, but we try our best to keep going and we’ve got really good customers and they support us,” said Sunshine Cheang, owner of the Green Spot Cafe.
The Green Spot, located in Agriculture Place, is celebrating 15 years if business in the Queen City, Cheang is looking forward to things starting to get back to normal.
“The tower people are coming back and they’re all excited to be here and they’re all really happy to see us and support us,” said Cheang.
Plumb dreams of the day when the pandemic is over and people flood to restaurants and bars, reminiscent of the end of the Spanish Flu pandemic, but for now, said everyone needs to support small businesses during these hard times.
“Whether it’s here or at another cafe or another restaurant or another store or anything, stay local as much as you can right now, it’s really important,” said Plumb.
Janis Procyk, owner of Brick and Mortar, said there was a big push for shopping local last fall, but added sales were down this Christmas season.
She said moving to a better location has helped them stay afloat, but they are also working on building a customer loyalty base.
“I think we’ll be okay and we’ll figure it out,” said Procyk, “It’s kind of a perpetual wheel of nothing is ordinary and you’re just constantly straining your brain and trying to do absolutely anything to keep the doors open.”
Opening the shop in the fall of 2019, it has been a hard few years for Brick and Mortar and for all small businesses.
Procyk said there is a common mentality of people being stressed out and fed up with the pandemic.
“It would be nice if people could kind of have some compassion, or show a little bit more forgiveness for their small businesses and just lean on them and help them out more than they necessarily generally would."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.