What lies beyond the pandemic? MassForward is MassLive’s series examining the journey of Massachusetts' businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.
________________
Northampton’s Bag Day is to be renamed Yule Days and will be over four days rather than the traditional one-day for the first time in its 20-year history.
Bag Day in previous years would offer a 20% discount in businesses that take part if the shopper has a bag that’s provided in The Daily Hampshire Gazette. While Bag Day normally required shoppers to have the bag, newly titled Yule Days will not.
In May, MassLive reported on the negative effects the pandemic has had on businesses in Northampton. Amy Cahillane, executive director of the Downtown Northampton Association said that it has been a difficult year for many businesses and hopes the four-day event will bring more business to the downtown area.
“We certainly hope that it will bring in revenue like Bag Days did,” said Cahillane. “But there’s so much unknown. It’s a challenge on every level.”
She pointed out that people have taken on different shopping habits since the pandemic started to avoid becoming infected. Businesses in Northampton have also adapted to the new normal in 2020.
“Some people have lost their jobs, on employment, don’t have the income to spend who might normally come shopping on Bag Day,” said Cahillane. “So, there’s a lot of unknown but we felt like we needed to do something. Something I think our small businesses needed.”
There is support for businesses on the state level with $50.8 million in small business grants that were set aside for businesses that were hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation is accepting applications for those grants on its website.
However, Gov. Charlie Baker doesn’t see any other major influx of federal funding on the horizon. Little has changed since the White House called off negotiations with House Democrats on a COVID-19 bill that would send money to states and municipalities.
Jody Doele, marketing manager at Thornes Marketplace told MassLive that sales have been hit extensively and in an interview in May. She said that since the beginning of the crisis the effect on the 30 businesses has been “catastrophic.” Yule Days will have 12 of Thornes businesses participating in the promotion.
Bag Day has historically been the largest earner for merchants at Thornes and the hope is for Yule Days to at least come close to that. The challenge for Doele and other businesses, not just in Northampton but the entire country, is to do this as safely as possible.
“Spreading Bag Day over four days, benefits the shopper in a number of ways,” said Doele. “One way is they can be safe because we don’t expect large crowds given the current foot traffic that we have on any of those days. Plus every place has safety protocols in place.”
Each of the building’s air conditioning and heating units uses ionizing air filters to prevent spreading infection and the entire marketplace is disinfected and cleaned with disinfecting foggers nightly.
Downtown Northampton Association Executive Director Amy Cahillane. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)
Built in 1873, Thornes Marketplace attracts customers with not only its unique businesses but the atmosphere in the building itself. Having to limit the number of people coming into the building has a large impact on sales.
“We’re hoping that people will take a pause and think about ‘hey, let me go downtown to see if I can find these things before I jump on Amazon’ to find it most easily,” said Doele. “You know, Amazon’s going to be fine. Some of these businesses are not going to be fine. So whatever we can do to encourage people to shop with us safely to what we’re trying to do now.”
Yule Days is an event specific to the pandemic. The hope is that it will be a one-off and Bag Day will return in the future and with it bring the traditions.
“We traditionally turn on the holiday lights on the Saturday that is Bag Day,” said Cahillane. “We are still doing the holiday lights this year and we are hoping that they will be out before the start of Yule Days.”
The event will take place from Nov. 19 to 22 with a list of locations being published in The Daily Hampshire Gazette on Nov. 18.
“The hope is from our perspective that next year,” said Stephanie Hadley, sales operations director of the Daily Hampshire Gazette. “Depending on what next year brings that we pivot back-to-back day and keep the tradition going because it’s been so popular. Not only for The Gazette as far as our readers expecting that bag in the paper, but for the stores in general and their holiday sales.”
Got a news tip or want to contact MassLive about this story? Email newstips@masslive.com or message us on Facebook orTwitter. You can also call our news tips line at 413-776-1364.
MassForward is MassLive's series examining the journey of Massachusetts' small businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.
"day" - Google News
November 11, 2020 at 12:53AM
https://ift.tt/35krUzH
‘Bag Day’ in Northampton undergoes name change to ‘Yule Days’ due to pandemic, will be 4-day event in 2020 - masslive.com
"day" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3f7h3fo
https://ift.tt/2VYSiKW
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "‘Bag Day’ in Northampton undergoes name change to ‘Yule Days’ due to pandemic, will be 4-day event in 2020 - masslive.com"
Post a Comment