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'I really want the community to pull together' | Uptown Lexington businesses hope for healing after pandemic, unrest

First, there was the pandemic, then there were protests in uptown and they lost the Barbecue Festival boost. Now there's talk of a boycott on social media.

LEXINGTON, N.C. — Small businesses across the Triad are pressing on during the pandemic but in Lexington there are some unique challenges.

Some worry fallout from the removal of a Confederate monument could still be impacting sales.

The pandemic was really just the start of challenges for businesses in the city.

There were protests over the summer during the controversy about a now removed confederate monument. Then, they had to go without the Lexington Barbecue Festival boost

Now they're seeing talk on social media of a boycott of uptown businesses but many shop owners said they have full confidence in their customers.

"So much of what you see on social media and stuff, I mean I don't pay it a whole lot of attention," Matt Jacobs said.

Jacobs owns The Eatery on Main Street. He's seen the posts calling to boycott shops after the removal of a Confederate statue blocks away.

"I think they think it's gonna hurt the city somehow," Tonya Tharpe said.

Tharpe owns Bagels and More across the street from The Eatery. She said the real impact of a boycott would come to shops like theirs, still trying to recover from the pandemic.

"We had nothing to do with anything, we just want to provide a service and be part of the community and that's all we want to do," Tharpe said.

Jacobs said road closures during protests over the summer also slowed their recovery.

"(People) kind of avoided it so it did hurt business for a while but now that it's been resolved and now that they don't have to block the streets anymore, it's coming back," Jacobs said.

Tharpe and Jacobs hope healing will happen here in uptown now.

"I really want the community to pull together because that's what we need to do right now. It has been a crazy year and hopefully, 2021 will be a little bit better," Tharpe said.

They have their eyes on the holidays now. Lexington usually hosts a Christmas Open House the Sunday before Thanksgiving which gives shops like theirs a boost.

The city canceled the event this year due to coronavirus concerns.

Tharpe and Jacobs said they are working with some other local businesses to plan an alternative event.

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