Four new businesses open up downtown
by Olivia Murray
omurray@dominionpost.com
Four new businesses have opened in downtown Morgantown in the past month, despite the economic impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Zeke’s Breakfast & Bakes, Free Spirit Fibers, Pulse Solutions Apparel and Charmed Salon are brand-new additions to Morgantown’s downtown scene. While the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the frequency and number of visitors to the downtown area, the pandemic hasn’t managed to make it a vacant space.
Barbara Watkins, executive director at Main Street Morgantown, said the addition of these businesses to downtown Morgantown is an indication of the strength and vibrancy of the community.
“That is not to say that downtown hasn’t been hit hard because of COVID-19. All businesses have, but it shows how much faith people have in downtown Morgantown’s vibrancy,” Watkins said.
Watkins said for the past several months, business downtown has slowed considerably. However, she pointed out that this issue does not just affect downtown Morgantown — it has happened everywhere.
Many businesses started conducting work through curbside pickup and delivery, Watkins said, including smaller businesses that did not previously have an extensive online presence.
“The small businesses offer that personal service, so customers feel like they’re part of the downtown community, so they didn’t hire delivery drivers — they delivered themselves,” Watkins said.
The downtown Morgantown area experienced changes in business popularity for decades, with many businesses leaving the area in the 1970s and the frequent fluctuation of the economy impacting income in the area. Watkins pointed to these facts as evidence the area will be able to survive COVID-19.
“Main Street Morgantown and the downtown [area have] always had the support of not only the surrounding community, but also the city, county and [West Virginia University]. So with their support … the businesses will be able to weather the pandemic and survive,” Watkins said.
Watkins believes with the support of the downtown community, hard workmanship and the familial bond between business owners in the downtown area, the new businesses will thrive along with the more established businesses.
“It’s like a family; the business owners know each other and help when needed,” Watkins said.
Mandi Powell, owner of Free Spirit Fibers, said that starting her business during the pandemic was surprisingly simple.
“It started with a thought, dream, desire. I simply took each next step that would bring it into real life,” Powell said.
Powell said the pandemic gave her the opportunity to slow down and focus on creating her business plan. Powell worked with Frank Goldsborough at the West Virginia Small Business Development Center, who provided her with templates to help Powell design her business plan. This helped Powell feel secure in her preparedness when the business opened.
“I opened the store now because it was the right time for me. … I had tapped into my love for the creative process after leaving my nursing career to stay home with my kids. At that point, I knew I wanted to live creatively,” Powell said.
Powell relocated to the Morgantown area last year and learned that the local yarn store had closed. Powell, who has been crocheting since she was 8 years old, saw the closure as an opportunity to move forward with her creative endeavors.
While COVID-19 made Powell reconsider her decision, she decided to push forward.
“It came down to the fact that it’s never going to be the perfect time,” Powell said.
Powell’s business, a fiber arts store, has brought challenges to Powell, who wanted to ensure that her business was exactly what she wanted it to be. The store features materials that are eco-conscious, animal friendly and fair trade. She also stocks yarn from people who live in West Virginia and the surrounding area.
Powell has found joy and solace in creating items to sell in her store and work on building her business’s website.
“My reward is feeling good about what I’m doing,” Powell said.
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