Back to Business – Wooster

Main Street Wooster

Flamingo Jack’s food truck hit the streets during quarantine. This Main Street Wooster business sold its unique comfort food in the parking lot of other brick-and-mortar Wooster businesses. The pink and blue truck has served customers outside Lincoln Way Vineyards, Miss Amy’s Cupcakes and Spoon Deli, attracting customers to these businesses and gaining more customers in turn. 

This cross-promoting is one example of community in Main Street Wooster. During shutdown, Main Street supported businesses in many ways and will explore even more with its grant funding. As stores reopen, Main Street businesses are taking precautions and relying on Wooster’s small business community. 

In early March, Main Street Wooster director Shannon Waller worked with the Convention Visitors Bureau and Chamber of Commerce to create a comprehensive website. It lists open businesses, new hours, and available services and products. It is one place for people to see their options, and administrators continue to update the website. 

“That was the biggest success from the get-go to help people continue their revenue streams,” Waller says. “That was helpful in harnessing that community spirit that was already there.”

It also created consistency between the businesses’ online presences.

Along with restaurants and bars collaborating like Flamingo Jack’s, retailers coordinated their hours to encourage customers to visit each other. 

The Main Street Wooster team encouraged this cooperative spirit in different ways as requirements and circumstances changed. With only two people in the office, Waller and project coordinator John Benko-Scruggs initially went to visit each business themselves. 

“We put on some walking shoes and just pounded the pavement and visited everyone within our area.” Waller says.

When they couldn’t go outside anymore, Waller and Benko-Scruggs contacted the businesses by phone, and left encouraging messages to shuttered businesses. 

“If they were on the cusp of closing, we wanted them to let us know before they made an irrevocable decision,” Waller explains. “Because we knew that there were people in the community who would try to get them through it.” 

When businesses faced challenges, Waller says Main Street Wooster acted as a clearinghouse to explore any loans available; the chamber of commerce and economic development council created a webinar series about funding opportunities. 

Recently, Main Street Wooster wrote encouraging notes to each of the businesses on some old Main Street Wooster postcards Waller found. 

“We got some nice responses from people who were just happy for the mood lift they got when they had to stay at home,” she says.  

The pair visited each business again to welcome the owners back as they reopened. Waller asked about any specials or hours they would want Main Street Wooster to share, and they discussed what the businesses were hoping for as they reopened. 

The businesses worked hard to implement all safety procedures, with employees wearing masks, providing hand sanitizer and early hours for people at risk. Some business owners encourage customers to wear masks while others require it. 

“They have family members who are vulnerable or employees with family members who are vulnerable,” Waller says. “They’ve gotten a little bit of push back here and there, but nothing that would intimidate anybody into changing that level of safety.”

Waller explored the possibility of expanding restaurant space with the chamber of commerce, local attorney and restaurateurs. They are hoping to get a designated outdoor refreshment area (DORA) and expand dining areas into closed streets and parking spots. 

In May, Main Street Wooster received the Main Street Grills Fund. The first part of the spending plan is to create training videos with the local hospital and health department. They also want to invite business owners to approach health professionals and adapt their business practices. 

They are also exploring car-related activities for people to have group experiences while social distancing. They are organizing a cruise-in through decorated downtown and residential areas that would award prizes to best business decorations, residential decorations and car decorations. The procession would end at a pop-up movie theater and local food trucks, and admission would be a $15 receipt from a downtown merchant. 

In addition to the training certification, Waller says that all the businesses have at least a time frame and plan for reopening. 

“You don’t get into business without being strong, creative and able to solve problems,” she says. “We’ll get through this.”