Five Ways to Support Local Business

You can find a list of small businesses currently open in AsiaTown here.

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As we’re staying at home to flatten the curve and do our part to stop the spread, we’re seeing many ways that small businesses (especially in AsiaTown!) are getting hit particularly hard. Here are some creative ways to support small businesses while keeping your distance.

Order takeout!

Up your at-home meals by ordering from your favorite AsiaTown restaurants. Many restaurants use Uber Eats or Door Dash if you need delivery, but the best way to support your favorite spot is to call, pay over the phone, and pick up your order! Third-party platforms charge high fees that customers don’t see.

Take it one step further: Tip as if you’re dining in! Many restaurants have said that at least 80% of their normal customer base is from dining in. Tip to better support the owners and staff since they’re losing this critical form of revenue! Ask to add a tip when you call to pay over the phone.

Dine together, virtually!

Order a meal, or send one to a friend, then eat together over a video chat! Snap photos of your food and screenshots of your virtual gathering. Join in OPAWL’s solidarity campaign, #IWillEatWithYou, by adding that hashtag and tagging @teamopawl in your Instagram posts!

Send a love letter!

Leave all the heart eyes emojis on your favorite businesses’ Instagrams, Facebook pages, or post some photos from past visits and tag their locations. Let them know you love them, and especially if they’re temporarily closed, let them know you miss them and can’t wait to order your favorite meal again! Follow and tag our neighborhood’s social media account, @AsiatownCleveland, so we can keep up with you, too!

Take it one step further: Leave reviews on Google, Facebook, or Yelp for your favorite small businesses.

Shop local.

Are you finding shopping at larger, big-box grocery stores to be stressful? Empty shelves, long lines, and crowding? Neighborhood groceries are more likely to have stocked shelves (and they even have toilet paper and masks!) AsiaTown is lucky to have five neighborhood grocery stores, as well as a pharmacy and herbal stores!

Take it one step further: Offer to drop off groceries or deliver meals for the elderly and immunocompromised.

Buy gift cards for later!

Purchasing gift certificates to local restaurants, gift shops, or salons can help get revenue to businesses who are closed or seeing fewer customers.

Take it one step further: Offer as gifts to friends, family, front-line workers, or neighbors in need.