BUSINESSES STRUGGLE TO RE-OPEN AMID COVID-19 CONCERNS AND ONGOING RIOTING

Many cities have lifted many Coronavirus restrictions, but rioting and protests cause many businesses to shut down again

The start of June was supposed to be the start of things returning back to normal. However, mass riots and violent protests have destroyed many businesses around the country and have led several city officials to institute curfews and shutdowns. The end of May and early June is when many cities around the country announced they were allowing businesses, most notably restaurants, bars and hair salons, to re-open and the small sample size showed that many Americans were happy to return to their normal lives. Other than facemasks, increased sanitation and social distancing guidelines, many restaurants were operating at full capacity and under normal conditions. However, protests and rioting stemming from the death of George Floyd have caused many businesses to shut down once again, leaving the average consumer frustrated and annoyed.

Clayre Bandyk, a 23 year old hair-stylist who started her own business in Orland Park, felt scared and concerned while hearing the news of the ongoing rioting that caused damage to the strip mall that her salon was located in. “I had just started the business last year [December 2019] and was doing really well for the first three months,” she said, “but then the Coronavirus hit and I was forced to close.”

She said she makes around $1,000 a week from her clients, after taxes and expenses, but when the Coronavirus hit, she lost all of her clients.

“None of them wanted to risk getting infected or spreading it to someone else. I made no money for two months.”

The worst part was that for those two months, she was still expected to pay her lease, which costs over $2,000 a month. Because of the ongoing rioting that has damaged her storefront, she expects she will be out of work for at least another two weeks, causing her to lose out several thousand dollars. Luckily, her early success from the beginning of the year has allowed her to still be able to pay her bills and give herself a salary.

“I probably had about $10,000 in my savings prior to the Coronavirus. So I was lucky. But if I am not able to open up soon, I might not have any money left.”