As some of you know, Covid-19 closed most businesses between March 2020 and February 2021. It is affecting businesses in many different ways, even if they were doing great before Covid happened. 

  Some businesses have reopened between January and then closed once again. Though we are in phase 2, we are allowed to be at 25% capacity per business. It might not seem like that much but it was one more step back to normal.

One example of a business that has been negatively affected, Skagit Skate which has been affected over the past year. 

   “Roller skating has been in our family blood for four generations now…” said Josh England, son to the owner of Skagit Skate. The England family makes sure that their business stays open for other families to enjoy skating too. “…We started this business to share the love of skating with everyone!” said England.

   Skagit Skate has been a business since 1999 and with skating running through their family. The manager Gary England had no choice but to make a go-fund me to pay for the rink to keep the family business alive for many more generations to come.

 England says Covid has been devastating to the business. “We have been closed 10 out of the last 11 months.”

   Skagit Skate is not the only business struggling. Salons also have been having a hard time because the government decided that it is not an essential business. This results in them being unable to open.

   “In Whatcom county where Salon Amethyst is, we seem to be skipping back and forth between phase “1.5” and phase 2, which doesn’t really effect myself personally as I only work one-on-one with clients,”  says Kris Anderson, owner of hair salon in bellingham, “but keeping up with the numbers and news is a doozy.”

   Salons that only have two workers are not having as much of a struggle because some salons can work fine with their business being cut to 50% capacity , but salons with more than 5 are only allowed to have 3 people working at one time.

   Another example is Joy Casamento Stiers from Pure Joy Skin Care, a waxing place in Burlington. Since Stier is a solo Esthetician which is someone that specialize in cosmetic skincare

   “I am allowed to do one on one appointments, but larger facilities like spas with more than one employee are still at 25% capacity.  We think 100% capacity should be allowed in Phase 3.”

   Stiers works solo so she doesn’t have to wait to work. She was closed for a few months, so she had to try to regain her losses.

   The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Washington has seen 27% of its businesses close their doors at least temporarily and an untold number could close for good. Just 53% of businesses statewide received a loan or grant to make payroll, the agency reports, from newsite called center square.

   Most would say that we were struggling for a while but it is starting to be put back together. Soon we will be able to go to the carnival and not wear masks everywhere we go. Also, schools will be fully open and so will be business again.   Interesting fact from Skagit Skate- My great grandfather built a 3 story building in Redondo, WA which houses roller skating, a full arcade, and a bowling alley. It later burnt down and my great grandfather along with his son built Enchanted Village and Wild Waves. Gary Englund, owner of Skagit Skate, helped build the first water slides at Wild Waves!