Local businesses finding new ways to stay open

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As COVID-19 hits each and everyone in their own ways, businesses have been struggling to stay open.  

Mom and pop shops compete with chain corporations to stay open and provide for their communities while following the guidelines, the expenses of staying open and keeping money afloat has shut down lots of businesses around San Joaquin County and other local counties around it. 

“With so many local stores it can be hard to choose just one” said Liam Cochrane, who enjoys going out with his girlfriend and seeing what’s around. “I find that local businesses have a warmth and homier feeling than corporations. 

 It feels as if they put more thought and time into your experience than just a grab and go deal.  I’m so glad to see my favorite places are still open so I can take my girlfriend and have some fun little dates.”  He loves the area and when traveling, he enjoys going to local stores more than chain corporations. 

However, local communities have been shopping and supporting businesses since lockdowns and quarantine began.  Some of these businesses started as little ideas that grew into stores, some are small little shops off of other businesses, and some are the dream stores that the owners wish to keep open as they love the community.  All of the stores that were interviewed have been able to stay in business due to the community and shoppers all around the area. 

Jennifer Pratt, the owner of The Local Collective at 11 S. Sacramento St. in Lodi, had to close her store for six months but was able to stay open with selling jewelry from her Etsy store.  

She stated that she had to pivot her sales a bit. Handmade items like candles, jewelry, incense, and soaps are usually seen in her store, but she is now selling vintage items as well.  

“I have always wanted a store unlike any other,” Pratt said.  “I want a space for artists and a chance to open my own store.  I love the community and I am so happy that I was able to open a store here in Lodi as there isn’t anything similar around.”

Her store has a boho, eclectic, hippie vibe and is growing each month, when the opposite could have happened because of the pandemic.. 

“I might have had to close my doors.  I am just so grateful for [the community’s] support,” she said.  

Pratt’s online storefront can be found at www.herprettythings.shop, and the store’s Instagram is @Localcollectivelodi.  

The Town Corner Cafe and Market, located at 2505 W. Turner Road in Lodi provides fresh, farm-to-fork food. The pandemic didn’t force the cafe to close completely, but it still presented challenges.

Karena Orozco, the manager at the cafe, said that they were able to stay open this entire time due to having a to-go option even before COVID-19 struck.  

The hardest  was keeping their staff, but they were able to keep more people working by coming up with new ways to serve guests and having more outdoor seating.   Orozco said that “thanks to our local customers and the community, business has been booming and sales have gone back to what they were before”.

House of Coffees, located at 239 N. Ham Lane in Lodi, is owned by Sami Oliver-Terra, a coffee fanatic who wanted to make a place that felt comfortable and homey with a boujie vibe to it.  This store has actually been here for 30 years and the previous owner asked her if she wanted to take over the ownership of the store. 

She and the past two owners are wonderful friends which she feels as if it shows the strength of the community.  She found it easy to stay in business as for the past three years they have had outdoor seating as well as coffee to-go.  

The part that really kept her in business was how seriously the local community has been taking supporting local stores. 

She is very passionate about her job and said that she “loves being part of the shop’s life story, community, and I couldn’t say no to being a part of such a wonderful shop and location”.  

Angel Ra, located at 10 N. School St. Lodi, is owned by Angel Ra.  Her store is a chill, artistic boutique that sells crystals, plants, handmade jewelry, candles, and much more.  

Ra opened her store in late 2019 — just a few months before the onset of the  COVID-19 pandemic.  

She was able to keep her doors open with local support, her friends and family checking in on her and having “lots of good energy and vibes around”. 

As a result, she feels more confident about her business.

“I was able to make it through COVID affecting me as I had opened, so I feel like I can make it through anything thrown my way,” she said.  

If it weren’t for her “kind, sweet, and cool customers,” she would’ve had to close her doors.  

Not only can you visit her store in person, but she now has a website at shopangelra.com and Instagram and Facebook pages @shopangelra.