Social distancing slowing down small businesses

Washington Federal Bank offering local small businesses loans as coronavirus halts economy

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Even as experts are urging social distancing to stop the spread, many local small businesses in Yuma County remain open for business.

In March, the Arizona Marketplace would typically see about 3,000-5,000 cars per day.

Thursday, the normally busy aisles of the marketplace were bare.

In the Foothills, strip-mall parking lots were practically empty.

A diner had a sign telling customers it'll be closing early.

At a small retail store, Bright Temptations Fashion, they were open but hadn't seen a single customer all day.

Bright Temptations Fashion owner, Jackie Bright, said, “Everything was on the upswing. But now with what’s happening all over the world and especially in the U.S., today was the first day that I’m feeling a little bit of the crunch because the bottom of my business has pretty much dropped out today.”

Social distancing due to the coronavirus has local small businesses holding on to hope in these tough economic times.

Arizona Marketplace manager Suzanne Edais decided not to close because her 150 vendors have become as close as family and they depend on her marketplace for income.

“Those 150 vendors that we have, they have 150 families to take care of. We’re going to take extra careful precautions. We’re going to take care of each other, we’re going to support each other,” Edais said.

While Edais is hoping her seasonal business can hold through till April, Bight is taking business day by day.

“Week by week, even month by month, and see how it pencils out. That’s all you can do. I’m going to have to start laying off some people and I hate that because I have really good employees.”

With no telling how long the coronavirus pandemic will last, some small businesses may have to take out loans to survive.

Sheila Wood, a personal banker at the local Washington Federal Bank in Yuma said,“[The coronavirus] is having a huge impact on our small businesses here and its a huge concern for us at Washington Federal."

Washington Federal Bank is offering up to $200,000 in credit lines to small businesses in Yuma County to weather this storm.

“Small businesses are what run our community,” said Wood.

“If things come to a slow grinding halt, then I will have to come to a slow grinding halt until this passes. And then I will reopen. But if it lasts for a couple of years or a year, then I may have to look at [a loan],” Bright said.