NCLM Southern City Volume 71, Issue 2, 2021

A Pandemic Innovation Swiss Bear then funnels that money back to the sellers. They also pay the monthly state sales tax on behalf of the businesses. After winning the grant in May 2020, the website was operational and with 25 businesses involved by the end of the year. Through partnerships, it was done for less than $10,000, and leftover funds have gone towards reducing shipping costs and marketing the site. Overall, the project has been successful, and in some unantici- pated ways. Online business has been steady since it launched, says Harakal, and the lifeline extended to some of these shops may have kept them afloat. What was not expected, however, was how it would impact in-person shopping once COVID precautions relaxed. “What’s been remarkable is that we’ve had feedback from our businesses that the items that have been listed have been moving SOUTHERN CITY QUARTER 2 2021 36 off the shelf faster, in the store,” said Harakal. “It’s almost like peo- ple are using it to see what’s available.” It’s that result that shows the staying power of this program, and neither the City nor Swiss Bear expect this initiative to fade away any time soon. In fact, introducing long-term online support was a foundational piece of the original idea, as it provides the commu- nity’s central business with another tool to thrive in the increas- ingly digital marketplace. “People want to help (their local businesses), but they also have to get what they need,” Harakal said. “I would really encourage other towns to undertake something like this.” This article was written by the North Carolina League of Municipalities in partnership with Hometown Strong and UNC’s Homegrown Tools. Overall, the project has been successful, and in some unanticipated ways . Online business has been steady since it launched and the lifeline extended to some of these shops may have kept them afloat. What was not expected, however, was how it would impact in- person shopping once COVID precautions relaxed . continued from page 35