Tricia Shyver started Naturaleigh six months ago.
It’s a natural parenting and baby boutique. She says navigating coronavirus with a new business has been difficult at times.
“Especially my customers with them having fragile immune systems so it was really kind of a scary thing,” owner Tricia Shyver said.
She says after being completely closed for the first month. She had to make the decision to sink or swim.
“This is my family’s sole livelihood,” Shyver said. “I mean, this is where any money that we have comes in so it all comes from here. It was a matter of necessity.”
Many local business owners are in the same boat.
“Hospitality, retail, and leisure industries are being hit the hardest at this time,” President and CEO of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce Candance Brake said.
A study conducted by the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce found that a big concern for local businesses is meeting all of the guidelines put forth by the state.
“I think the biggest concern will be for them to be able to open within the guidelines that have been laid out by our state,” Brake said. “The personal protection, PPE is going to be a major challenge.”
Retail businesses are allowed to reopen Wednesday, but Shyver says she’ll be holding off.
“With me being the sole employee here, it’s a lot for me to have to think about standing at the door and taking temperatures and sanitizing everything people touch after they come in,”Shyver said.
The business owner says she plans to reopen in the near future but she says for now, her online business is thriving.
“We’ve been just so proud of the Owensboro community to watch them innovate and to step up to make it through,” Brake said.
Retail businesses can open back up Wednesday as long as they follow the 33 percent capacity limit put forth by the state.
By Erin McNally WFIE-14