BUSINESSES & ORGANIZATIONS ›› pivoting
When Work Stops, Shop Little Black Dress owner pivots to groceries. When the stay-at-home order that started on March 24 meant the end of large gatherings indefinitely, Misti Sims, an event planner and owner of Little Black Dress in Parkersburg, put the new time on her hands to good use. She started The Grocery Girl shopping service. Mid-Ohio Valley residents could review the online shopping site of their choice, type a list of items they wanted, and pay Misti in advance via the Venmo digital wallet app, with a small delivery fee. Misti, joined by Ataraxis Hair Salon stylist Kelli Henderson, would shop and deliver directly to the customer’s door. In her frequent Facebook posts at @grocerygirlmov keeping customers informed, she called it her “COVID-19 side hustle.” “Misti saved me from having to take my 4-year-old grocery shopping since my husband works out of town,” wrote one rave reviewer on Facebook. “I have used other grocery services, and it doesn’t compare to the detail oriented shopping the Grocery Girl does and with a smile,” wrote another. A third: “You cannot beat the price, and I love that the fees are going directly to the person braving the stores, not a corporation.”
CINDI DUNN W HARPERS FERRY, JEFFERSON COUNT Y A Great Time to Get Online The Vintage Lady takes the opportunity to go digital.
isolation we all feel at times, it’s comforting to know that we are all in this together! Five years ago this July 23, our business and seven others in our town were destroyed by a tragic fire. I would never have dreamed that we would be going through yet another tragedy during this fifth anniversary year. During the aftermath of the fire, I looked for the blessings, and I’m doing that at this time as well. And I’m finding them! Customers who are supporting our online shop and people sharing our posts on social media as well as personal strength one never realizes they have until challenging times. Being a tourist town, the fear is, will the tourists come back? Thanks to the Jefferson County CVB and Annette Gavin Bates, there is a great marketing strategy in place, with email blasts to let folks know that, once this is over, Harpers Ferry is where “Almost Heaven” begins. People are going to be eager to get out and explore—and where better than our beautiful little town? One of my favorite quotes goes like this: “You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.” I’m hopeful this virus storm passes soon. But until then, I will continue to look for the blessings.
one of my favorite shows is Friends , and one of my favorite lines from this favorite show is from Joey: “How you doin’?” We are hearing those words a lot right now as it applies to how we are all “doin’” during this time in our country. We closed our shop, The Vintage Lady boutique in Harpers Ferry, on March 16 in response to this pandemic. After letting it all sink in, we decided to do what we never seemed to have time to do—open an online shop. It’s been fun and exciting and gives us a focus that is not on the shop being closed, but being open in a different way. We’ve had online customers from Texas, Vermont, North Carolina, and several other states as well as right here inWest Virginia. Many have visited Harpers Ferry and shopped with us in the past, while others are planning a trip when things have settled down. To promote the online shop, I’ve been sending out a newsletter once a week. I’ve enjoyed sharing some of my thoughts on this roller coaster of emotions we are all on. One minute I’m sad—the next MAD; one minute I’m scared, the next filled with rage. Yep, I’d call that a roller coaster. With the
6 wvl • the community issue 2020
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker