GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Many small business owners in West Michigan have been forced to close amid the governor’s emergency orders aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19.
Some of them are wondering if the closures are really helping as they watch shoppers clamor to purchase goods from the big box stores that have been deemed essential and remain open. In many cases, the goods they see customers purchasing are the same goods smaller specialty businesses have been prohibited from selling at their stores.
“(Customers) are buying flowers if they want to buy flowers,” Bing Goei, owner of Eastern Floral in Grand Rapids, told News 8 Monday. “The inconsistency of the application of the law is what’s frustrating and is going to hurt our small business economy.”
Goei has been in the floral business since the 1970s and says he has not seen anything have such a devastating impact.
“Never,” he said emphatically.
Goei was forced to lay off about 70 people from his staff — all of the employees with the exception of the person in charge of finances.
More at WOOD-TV.