Many Mt. Pleasant businesses doing better than expected

MT. PLEASANT - Although the coronavirus pandemic has hit local businesses hard in the last several months, Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance Executive Vice President Kristi Perry said the majority of retailers, small businesses and manufacturers in the area that she has spoken to are doing better than expected.

At a Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting, Perry said she was 'absolutely floored by how good things are going.”

'I thought it would be the opposite,” she added, while noting that there are several businesses that may not survive the economic downturn.

Most recently, Perry concluded her annual business visits to manufacturing companies. Perry reported that most companies were 'doing great with the exception of outside of our area.”

'Getting their supplies is very difficult right now. So what's slowing them down is not us or what's going on here - it's not being able to get supplies that they need at times,” she said.

In addition to difficulty obtaining supplies, Perry added some companies have reported a slow down in orders and the year 'would not be the best,” but is not as 'bad as [she] first thought it might be.”

Perry said manufacturing companies continue to struggle to get workers but have been appreciative of state and federal programs like the Payment Protection Program.

The executive vice president reminded the board that manufacturers 'had a good first quarter,” before the slow down.

'It all depends on how things come back,” she said.

Many manufacturers are 'more cautious of next year,” she added.

'We are expecting that right now, we may be better off than we will be this time next year,” she said.

Perry reported an expansion to a local company was halted due to the pandemic but was told the company would continue to move forward with it when things become more stable.

For the community as a whole, Perry said what worries her is how a slow down for companies will affect sponsorships and donations for communitywide projects.

'I don't think this is the time to be doing big capital campaigns or big donation efforts or anything. I think some of that may have to slow down,” she said.

On the commercial business side, Perry said five new businesses are 'for sure” opening in town, with another five to seven looking to start up in the area.

'I think we're doing well. Our members are back to work and positive,” Perry said of local small businesses and retailers.

Restaurants were also doing 'better than expected,” many continuing to rely on carry out orders.

'They came back pretty strong … they are coming back but I do think we will see a couple of them that don't survive it,” she said.

Perry added restaurants are worried about the prospect of proclamation from the governor suggesting restaurants go from 50 percent seating capacity back to 25 percent capacity.

'The only way these people can survive is if they do a lot of carry out,” she said.

As for the Chamber itself, Perry said the nonprofit is 'in a good financial position” and has not had to eliminate staff or make any pay cuts but added Main Street will face a slightly bigger challenge since it is sustained on money made from events, many of which have been canceled.