The Spring Green Area Chamber of Commerce’s RV-Opoly started May 1, giving area resident who shop at participating stores the chance to win cash prizes. Valley Sentinel reached out to the businesses involved to ask about their involvement and what RV-Opoly means for area small businesses. Below are their responses.
Dennis Alfred Phillips Art to Wear
Valley Sentinel: Are you excited to be a part of RV-Opoly? What does it mean for your business?
Dennis Phillips: I participate in RV-Opoly as an opportunity to reach the local community. It’s another way to introduce my business to some who may be unaware of it.
VS: How has COVID affected your business? Is it still affecting your business or are things nearly back to normal?
DP: Yes. My business was down 40% last year because of COVID 19. The loss of tourists and general foot traffic in Spring Green was the main factor. My situation is not back to normal but I am hopeful. Slowly, week by week visitors have been increasing. But this is normally a slower time of year. Come June I’ll start to see if “normal” is returning.
VS: Do you have any other ideas for working collaboratively between businesses to help one another and build community during this tough time?
DP: From the start of the changes last year, I’ve tried to share other businesses social media posts. In the past many of us in downtown Spring Green have regularly work together from with in the Retail Committee of the Spring Green Area Chamber of Commerce. I’d like to mention, thank and give credit to Mary D’Alton of Convivio. Mary has started going to other businesses taking photos of their products/merchandise and is posting them on Instagram and Facebook.
VS: How do you anticipate this summer season being different than last year?
DP: We will be open with shoppers in town. Having APT open along with Taliesin and House on the Rock will bring more people back to Spring Green.
VS: What can the community do to support local small businesses like yours?
DP: Come in to our businesses and see what we offer. Make some time to walk around and visit a business. You will find something you’ve wanted or needed and not known it was right here in Spring Green.
Spring Branch Pottery
Below is a statement from Paula Barta, owner of Spring Branch Pottery regarding her participation in RV-opoly and how COVID-19 has effected her business.
Paula Barta: I own Spring Branch Pottery, located at 504 W Leeson St., on the outskirts of Spring Green. As my location is outside the business area, visitors to town don’t normally stroll past my studio, as they do with other businesses downtown. Also, being relatively new to the area, many local folks are unaware of my presence. So it is important for me to participate in promotions like RV-opoly to acquaint everyone with who I am, where I am located and what I have to offer.
Because of Covid, there was no art fair last summer and there will be no art fair this summer. This has affected my sales dramatically. In addition, foot traffic dropped way down. I look forward to being a stop on the RV-opoly board and hopefully increasing my visibility and sales. My hope is that this summer brings more people to my studio!
Slowpoke Lounge and Cabaret
Valley Sentinel: Are you excited to be a part of RV-Opoly? What does it mean for your business?
Michael Broh: We’re always happy to support Chamber events. They do a nice job bringing attention to local businesses, and often help to introduce us to new customers. We look forward to making new friends as they explore the village and fill out their boards.
VS: How has COVID affected your business? Is it still affecting your business or are things nearly back to normal?
MB: COVID has been hard on us. A big part of our business is gathering people together for live music and theater. The combination of limited capacity and reduced tourist traffic last summer have made for a difficult year. Thankfully, many of our regular customers are now vaccinated, and we are hopeful of once again hosting live events by early August.
VS: Do you have any other ideas for working collaboratively between businesses to help one another and build community during this tough time?
MB: We’re always interested in supporting working with our neighbor businesses, and always work to let our patrons know about what else there is to fi nd in Spring Green. The more we can show each other off, and share information about each other, the more folks from other communities will want to come back.
VS: How do you anticipate this summer season being different than last year?
MB: Last summer, there was very little tourist traffic in Spring Green, and we had a combination of official and self-imposed restrictions to reduce the spread of COVID. This summer, as we grow into limited size events at APT and elsewhere, we hope to see a moderate improvement in visitors. With luck, perhaps we can feel somewhere close to our old normal by late summer.
VS: What can the community do to support local small businesses like yours?
MB: An ability to gather crowds will do more for our business than anything else. We encourage everyone in our community to get vaccinated, and do everything they can to eliminate the spread of COVID. The sooner we do that, the sooner we can all get back to normal.
Arcadia Books
Valley Sentinel: Are you excited to be a part of RV-Opoly? What does it mean for your business?
Nancy Baenan: We are always excited to be a part of the creative events that Julie and the Chamber come up with. Our customers love the fun and novelty of RV-Opoly and appreciate the chance to win prizes in reward for shopping local.
VS: How has COVID affected your business? Is it still affecting your business or are things nearly back to normal?
NB: Because we had a great webstore prior to Covid, we’ve been able to fill orders, even when our physical store was closed. We are incredibly grateful to our loyal customers who never stopped buying books.
VS: Do you have any other ideas for working collaboratively between businesses to help one another and build community during this tough time?
NB: The more businesses we have in town, the more likely that visitors will make the trip.
VS: How do you anticipate this summer season being different than last year?
NB: We have much optimism for the summer and are so happy that APT is able to have a modified season.
VS: What can the community do to support local small businesses like yours?
NB: Think of us first when you need a gift or dinner. There are so many lovely, unique shops here, you’re bound to find the perfect thing.