GREENSBORO, N.C. — Triad commissioners are teaming up to support local businesses battling problems caused by the pandemic.
Piedmont Triad Partnership and other regional leaders launched the Triad Together challenge.
The initiative is a way to raise awareness and create a sense of urgency around the critical need to support locally owned businesses and restaurants, particularly in the absence of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Greater Winston-Salem Inc CEO and President Mark Owens said our communities need this.
"I hate to say it so bluntly they need dollars they need revenue,” Owen said.
Owens explained how it new challenge works.
"To buy local and post something about buying local when they do," Owens said. "Whether it's a gift card or going in safely to our retail businesses and put the hashtag Triad together."
Our local businesses have had a rough nine months, from shut downs, accessing PPE and capacity limits.
Experts predict 1 in 4 businesses won't survive the pandemic.
To keep that from becoming a reality Chamber of Commerce across the Triad said on top of this new challenge their using social media to post ads and promotions for small businesses.
"It’s really just putting them out there over and over so folks can shop local,” said Tracy Myers with the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce.
Lauren Miller with the Business High Point Chamber of Commerce said they've added 60 new members and had dozens of businesses open during the pandemic, thanks to social media.
“It speaks to the heart of High Point and how we’re going to rally around our members and community to make sure we still have a place and we’re still growing,” Miller said.
The city’s newest business, a brewery called Paddled South.
Owners Patrick Watterson and David Nissen have spent most their lives in High Point.
"We wanted to build this business with the people that we live around and we're committed to High Point and we see there's a lot of opportunity, ”Nissen said.
They plan to open their first business in late January on North Main Street.
"We see better times with covid," Watterson said. "We have a good enough business model to make it through restrictions and be of service to the city of high point."
They’re confident, that with a vaccine near they their business will thrive, even during a pandemic.