By: Kendall Keylor
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — COVID-19 has not only affected people physically and emotionally, but economically as well.
“I don’t think anybody could’ve really prepared for this,” said Nikki Bloxton, co-owner of Gaslight Dallas.
In the attempt to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, the Dallas County Mayor has ordered all restaurants and bars to close their doors.
For businesses, this means finding alternative ways to make money.
“We are partnering with other businesses that can benefit us later,” Bloxton said. So, we technically aren’t open, and we aren’t taking a profit from it, but we are combining our business with other businesses to kind of give a big splash of, ‘hey Gaslight, we are coming back.’”
Bloxton and her business partners are having to figure out a plan on how to continue branding Gaslight.
Bloxton said, “We’re still doing the big pushes on social media. Getting planning out, getting events that are going to be happening after we are open, such like trivia nights and wine down Wednesday’s, trying to get the push out there. What are people doing right now? They are sitting at home on their social media.”
After having just opened a new bar a month ago, remaining pertinent to the public can be hard during a pandemic.
“With Gaslight, we are still just trying to be relevant,” Bloxton said. “We are trying to keep ourselves relevant in a sense of ‘hey don’t forget about us because we are going to come back stronger than ever.’”
Not knowing how long the coronavirus is going to last, long term planning is necessary.
“Whenever it comes to a long term plan, we actually are working on a long term plan, it’s just still in the works right now,” Bloxton said.
There has yet to be a cure found for COVID-19.
Businesses are trying to figure out not only a short term plan, but a long term plan as well.