Lee’s Summit businesses find creative ways to put on a positive spin during rough times

Hand-delivered cocktail recipes with ingredients, personalized packs of hair supplies and surprise grab bags are among the ways Lee’s Summit small business owners are getting creative to survive while their doors are closed.

Many locally owned and operated businesses are temporarily shut down, forced to furlough workers and close to the public due to health restrictions put in place during the novel coronavirus outbreak. Many owners are still working, though, hoping to have a place for those workers and customers to return to when the crisis is over.

Donnie Rodgers, executive director of Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street Inc., says uncertainty is difficult for business owners.

“That’s the hard thing right now, not knowing when everything can go back to normal,” Rodgers said.

The seasonal Farmers Market, sponsored by Downtown Lee’s Summit, was scheduled to open April 4. It did not. The opening day is currently set for May 16.

In the meantime, Downtown Lee’s Summit is trying to help regular vendors by posting links at downtownls.org/market for those offering online ordering and pick-up or delivery options for customers at this time.

For year-round brick and mortar businesses in Downtown Lee’s Summit, the challenge can be a bit more daunting. There are utility and rent payment to make, even when customers cannot walk in the front door.

Coco McKie, owner of Coco’s Style Lounge, started offering at home drop off delivery of beauty products for customers.

“This is just something I’m trying to do to get through the quarantine process and to stay connected to my clients,” McKie said.

Coco’s Style Lounge has been open for eight years in downtown Lee’s Summit. The 16 stylists who work at the salon usually pay monthly rental fees for the space. McKie has covered those fees for this month to help her stylists, hoping they will all be able to return soon.

“We’re trying to do what we can to cover some of the bills for now. So, they have a place to come back to when it’s all over,” McKie said.

At Libations & Company, owner Seth Allen usually spends a lot of his time educating customers at his cocktail culture lounge. Allen’s store sells all of the bar items and spirits needed to produce craft cocktails. He also has a bar where people can order and taste drinks.

While his store is technically exempt from shut down because liquor stores were deemed essential businesses, he decided to close anyway for safety.

“To flatten the curve and slow the spread, I decided to close to the public,” Allen said.

Allen is continuing to offer customers online ordering of his drink packaging service. Customers can get everything they need to make a chosen cocktail, including the recipe and the fresh citrus required as a garnish.

“That can save them a trip to the grocery store,” Allen said.

Helping customers learn how to make their own cocktails was a part of his business model before, but the home packaging and delivery is new. Allen says it has worked well, so far.

“I’ve gotten some new customers, which was a nice surprise to see some new faces utilizing my service, but a lot of my regular customers have done the best they can to place an order each week,” Allen said.

The shut down has taken a toll on Libations & Company’s overall business, but Allen says the online orders are helping him stay ahead of the bills.

Emily Peterson, owner of Cameron’s Home Furnishings, is moving a little merchandise by offering her customers a bit of a surprise. She offered 20 customers the chance to purchase grab bags worth $75 for just $50. Customers loved it.

“The phones were ringing off the hook. We sold out before our normal store hours started that day,” Peterson said.

After the initial surprise of the success, Peterson said they had fun delivering bags to customers. They also added some small gift cards for other local downtown businesses to the bags.

Peterson has been doing some consulting online and over the phone. Customers send in pictures and she can offer ideas and drop merchandise at their doors.

“Most customers like to touch and feel. So, it is different, but we are trying to come up with ways to still interact with our customers and keep the business going,” Peterson said.

Despite keeping an upbeat, creative and flexible attitude toward the difficult situation, it is hard on these small businesses owners not to be able to interact with their customers in normal ways. McKie says she’s a “hugger.” All this social distancing has been hard on huggers.

“I went to deliver to a customer who has been my client for 20 years. I couldn’t even ring her doorbell to let her know I was there. I had to call later. I wanted to see her, but I knew if I saw her, I would want to hug her, too,” McKie said.

McKie says she finds herself, like others, being more aware of the importance of supporting fellow local businesses. One thing her family has done more is be intentional about ordering take-out from local restaurants.

“It changes your mind frame of thinking, and I think that’s a good thing. Now, that’s going to become a new routine in general,” McKie says.

“I know it’s hard for people to see the silver lining, especially right now, but I have to choose to focus on the positive things instead of the negative things. As a business owner, think it’s going to be positive. It’s just going to take time and patience.”

This story was originally published April 15, 2020 at 9:12 PM.