African American businesswomen in Chicago are finding creative ways to save their businesses amid the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. Restaurateurs in the windy city said they will not let the crisis steal the fruits of their labor, the Chicago Sun Times reported.
Keisha Rucker, also known affectionately as Mz. Hyde Park, is the owner of The Soul Shack. She revamped her business model amid the pandemic and has been able to help most of her staff avoid unemployment by keeping them on full-time, the report said.
“We have been able to stay open every day so far; free delivery service is currently keeping the business afloat,” Rucker told the Sun Times. “I had a straight business plan for dining and carryout delivery service and I had to revamp my whole system within less than 30 days when they came down with a stay-at-home order. So far, I have been able to keep the business open; that is my community.”
Dominique Leach is co-owner of Lexington Betty’s Smoke house with her wife. After scaling back staff and focusing on deliveries, she said they are making enough to stay afloat.
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“Unfortunately, this came at a time where we were really getting some recognition for our hard work,” Leach told the Sun Times. “And, you know, I can only be optimistic. And we’re just happy enough to be getting enough revenue to at least keep the bills paid.”
She added that they’d “be here at the end of” the pandemic.
Annah Mitchell, owner of turkey-hotdog food truck Gobble Doogs, echoed the resilient spirit of Rucker and Leach. Since her food truck is currently shut down, she’s begun taking catering orders and delivering for Instacart, according to the Sun Times.
“I’ve been doing anything that I possibly can,” Mitchell said. “I certainly want to make sure that the business stays on people’s minds and we’re continuing to market the business.”
“This is a self-financed business and so everything that I’ve put into this business is mine — the blood, the money, the sweat, the tears. So when I look at everything that I have put on the line for this, I cannot lose. I refuse to lose; I can’t let this go. This means too much to me … I cannot let this go,” Mitchell said.
