Business owners scrape by during virus pandemic
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PizzaBoyz employees Michelle Cather, Michael Carson and Holly Sturdivant stand outside with owner Jeannie Ely. -
Sam Deputy and his mother, Jean Deputy, stand inside their Graphics II store on St. Johns Avenue in Palatka. -
This & That Café owner Lou Singleton and employees Ronnie Tomas and Christina Miller are prepared to resume dine-in service next week.
By Wayne Smith and Sarah Cavacini
Palatka Daily News
wsmith@palatkadailynews.com
scavacini@palatkadailynews.com
As Putnam County businesses make plans to slowly reopen following the state’s COVID-19 guidelines, some remain frustrated at the lack of help they received to help them get through the crisis.
That includes frustration with the state’s unemployment system, funding for the Paycheck Protection Program and the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs.
“I’m going to be very, very honest and say I wish we would have had more definitive communication with leadership,” said Sam Deputy, owner of Graphics II on St. Johns Avenue in Palatka and president of Develop Palatka Inc.
“That includes the unemployment process, the loans and who is open and who is not open. And whose job is it to enforce (what businesses are open). Some stores were allowed to stay open that sell multiple things and other stores closed. That wasn’t fair to everyone and I don’t know how you make things fair if you don’t have enforcement.”
Deputy was forced to layoff his three employees as business slowed during Gov. Ron DeSantis’ stay-at-home order, which ended Thursday. He’s tried to help those employees get unemployment benefits, while also enduring the frustration of trying to get help from the SBA.
“SBA is overloaded and so are the banks,” Deputy said. “They are so overloaded that they cannot communicate with you. The program was designed to help mom-and-pop (stores). It was not designed for large corporations.”
Deputy is concerned some downtown businesses will not survive the economic slowdown.
“I’m afraid some are not coming back,” Deputy said. “And we’re not going to know until we see it.”
Lou Robinson, owner of This and That Café on St. Johns Avenue, said the past month has been difficult but she has managed to stay open every day providing takeout service with reduced hours. She laid off two of her employees, keeping three.
Like Deputy, Robinson said she tried to access loan programs to help.
“Sam and I have tried all of them,” Robinson said. “They had all either run out of money or couldn’t help. We’ve both done it on our own. It hasn’t been easy, but thanks to the good people of Palatka and Putnam County, we’ve made it through it.”
The owner of Urban Farmhouse on Saint Johns in Palatka, Sherri Granger, said she applied for a loan and knows it is in line to be reviewed.
“It would be nice. But I’m not really anticipating anything,” Granger said.
She plans to reopen her store Wednesday and will taking cleaning precautions, but she hopes people will come out and support small businesses.
“We will certainly welcome (residents),” Granger said. “It’s one way to spend your stimulus check.”
Jeannie Ely, owner of Pizzaboys in Palatka, said thankfully, she received the paycheck loan and income disaster relief loan for which she applied.
“It was touch and go there for a while, but CenterState (Bank) came through,” Ely said.
The restaurant will follow DeSantis’ orders and take the precautions necessary to serve residents.
One business owner did not apply for a small business loan and she is doing everything on her own.
Gilded Lily owner Adrianna Reitz said she opened her Palatka store March 3 and was able to be open only three weeks before the pandemic started.
All her savings went toward the business and she hopes people will visit the store to support small businesses.
“As a community, we’ll be able to come together and we’ll be able to get through it,” Reitz said. “I’m not scared. I think I’ll be OK.”
Putnam County Chamber of Commerce President Dana Jones said she’s tried to stay in contact with businesses seeking loans throughout the process.
“The first round was frustrating because a lot of large companies got funds and (the SBA) ran out of money early,” Jones said. “During the second round, there was more success here locally in businesses obtaining funds.
“And I have heard from quite a few employers this week that the Payroll Protection Program is finally starting to arrive in some people’s accounts.”
Jones is concerned residents will mistakenly view the first stage of reopening as an “all-clear sign.”
“We have to stress the importance of Phase 1 and that we will only go to Phase 2 if we keep diligent about washing our hands, maintaining social distancing and following new guidelines for restaurants,” Jones said. “I hope people pay attention to it.”