Getting creative during COVID-19
Surviving 2020 – and moving forward in 2021
The COVID-10 pandemic has meant changes for practically every business, but especially so for retail stores and restaurants, who rely on in-person service to survive during these challenging times. We spoke with the owners of Black Dog Hospitality Group and 1000 Islands Soap Company to learn how they are coping, and how they’ve transformed their businesses during the pandemic.
Black Dog Hospitality Group founder Tim Pater easily remembers the shock of having to shut down his four restaurants and catering company last March. “We had to lay off 100 people all at once,” he says. “It was one of the hardest days of my life.” The owner of local favourites Black Dog Tavern, Atomica, Harper’s Burger Bar and Dianne’s Fish Shack & Smokehouse, quickly realized, like many other restaurant owners, that business was not going to be as usual in 2020.
“It was a tough year for the bottom line, but we’ve been able to take advantage of government programs to make the changes needed to continue to serve Kingston,” says Pater. Along with switching to menus more appropriate for pick-up and delivery, Pater and his team developed BlackDogHome.ca, offering restaurant quality entrées that can be re-heated at home and paired with charcuterie, stone-baked pizzas, breads, soups and fine wines. Luckily for Black Dog Hospitality, all four restaurant locations have patios, allowing for dining during warmer months when indoor seating was closed.
The transformation has required substantial effort in terms of packaging, new protocols, and of course, new safety guidelines. “The community has been so supportive, and my management team has been so resilient,” says Pater. “In many cases, this has brought out the best in people. It’s clear to me that Kingstonians really want to support a lively and thriving downtown.”
One of the biggest challenges of the pandemic for 1000 Islands Soap Company owner Jackie Marshall was the complete lack of social interaction with her customers. “People know me as much as they know my products,” she says. “So many of my customers come in often just for a chat.”
Her store on King Street is a popular destination for both tourists and local shoppers who have come to rely on her handmade, small-batch creations. Along with a wide range of natural bath and skin products, Jackie makes essential oils, candles, and therapeutic remedies, such as her famous muscle rub and migraine roll-on.
With the store shut down, Jackie had to find a new way to reach out to her loyal clientele. “We’ve always shipped our products around the world, but we decided to do something for our local customers,” she says. Along with providing free local delivery, she began offering gift drop-offs for birthdays and other special occasions. “My customers love being able to select products that I deliver to family and friends on their behalf, with a little message inside. It makes everyone feel good!”
Jackie also created her own batch of moisturizing hand sanitizer and mask freshener, as well as a unique holiday Advent calendar filled sample sizes of her most popular products. Not surprisingly, it sold out almost immediately.
With Kingston moving to the ‘green zone’, Jackie says that it’s wonderful to see and enjoy conversations with her customers again. “This community is so supportive of our boutique stores and restaurants. I feel so lucky to have such great customers, and to have my business in such an amazing downtown!”
