Despite the challenges set by COVID-19, small businesses across the Tampa Bay area have been relying on support from the community to keep their doors open.
Alchemy and Ashes caters to the growing pagan community around the Lutz area. Store clerk Jessica Rivera said the support from the community allowed the store to be back on its feet.
“We are really reliant on our customers and our customers are reliant on us,” Rivera said. “People in our community were ready to come back in here and help support us.”
As a way to mitigate the risks of spreading and contracting the virus, Alchemy and Ashes requires customers and staff to wear a face covering and use hand sanitizer upon entering the store. The store also offers curbside pickup for all online orders to minimize contact.
The store is open Tuesday-Friday from noon until 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.
The community has also shown support to the store next door, the gothic salon Claws and Stilettos. The store offers nail services, including acrylic, gel, GelX and SlickPour.
The store is open Monday-Thursday from 10:30 a.m. util 6:30 p.m. and Fridays from 5-11 p.m.
Claws and Stilettos’ owner Alyssa Adams said its unique aesthetic allowed the store to grow and become a place where customers experience the extraordinary.
“The local community has really shown interest in something this alternative, that you don’t see this kind of salon everywhere,” Adams said.
Junior League of Tampa’s Holiday Gift Market goes virtual
This year’s holiday season will look significantly different than previous years as stores push for online sales due to COVID-19.
With over 20,000 shoppers expected, the Junior League of Tampa’s Holiday Gift Market will be virtual this holiday season. The market will feature several small businesses across the Tampa Bay area.
A recent survey by the Blueprint, an online site for small businesses, found that COVID-19 had a negative impact on 94% of small businesses. The market will then provide an opportunity for customers to support small businesses this holiday season.
The market will last through Dec. 13 and a portion of the proceeds will be invested in education, support vulnerable children and families and help nonprofits reach more people.
For more information on how to participate, visit the Holiday Gift Market’s website.
The pandemic effect: Dealing with your pet’s anxiety when leaving home
After spending months in quarantine and working from home, pets have been used to having their owners staying at home with them all day.
Now, as Floridians start getting back into the workforce, anxiety among pets might increase. Dog trainer Jackie Ingraffia said the best way to address it is by acting proactively.
“It’s something that can be overcome if you start training your pets from early on rather than being reactive now that we’re at this point,” she said.
A famous tactic to start preparing pets for when the time comes is to leave them alone for a long period of hours and start building up from there. In addition, owners can build a fixed schedule for outdoor walks so the pet starts getting back into the routine.
As a way to minimize levels of anxiety, owners can take their pets for a walk or play around with them before leaving the house. In that way, pets will spend their energy while enjoying the company of their owner.
Popular game unites students among one another
An unlikely thread is winding its way through the University of South Florida. In this socially-distanced semester, students, faculty and staff are connecting in virtual spaces thanks to a video game.
Among Us is a game that surged into popularity during August and September, advancing from an average player base of hundreds to surpassing 3 million concurrent players in a matter of months.
Credits
Anchors: Ashley Reyes, Deanna Lampasona-Colon
Reporters: Demi Asensio, Trevor Lloyd, Kristen Boehm, Niahm Larkin
Producer: Calista Muncy
Graphics editor: Calista Muncy
Show Editors: Vanessa Galluppo
Associate Producer: James Birmingham, Nova Charles
Web Editor/Social Media Producer: Leda Silveira De Faria Alvim
Graduate Assistant: Emmanuel Maduneme
Faculty Adviser: Jeanette Abrahamsen, Wayne Garcia
