How Local Businesses Are Adapting to the New Realities
By Jondi Gumz and Edita McQuary
If these were ordinary times, Charley Wilcox and Kelly Dillon, who own Marianne’s Ice Cream, would be hiring for the spring and summer. But these are not ordinary times.
Kelly Dillon and Charley Wilcox, owners of Marianne’s Ice Cream, offer curbside pickup at the Seacliff location. • Photo Credit Jondi Gumz
The Santa Cruz County health officer issued a “shelter in place” order on March 16 to slow the spread of coronavirus COVID-19 and then extended it until May 3, prohibiting gatherings, forcing non-essential businesses to close and requiring restaurants to sell only takeout food.
Wilcox, 53, and Dillon, 44, who bought the iconic Santa Cruz ice cream business in 2012, had to close their shop in Capitola, too small for the new rule on social distancing, and downsize the retail staff to 25. But they haven’t thrown in the towel.
Instead, they’ve innovated to conform to the new reality and adapt to what customers want:
Online ordering with curbside pickup at 218 State Park Drive in Seacliff or 1020 Ocean St. in Santa Cruz.
Pickup service is meeting a need, and Wilcox said his goal is for pickups to be 20 percent of business.
- Delivery service: This just started, and Wilcox is already getting calls from folks in Los Gatos asking for it. Deliveries are made from the ice cream plant in Santa Cruz, which operates four days a week instead of the usual five.
- Online payment: A new point-of-purchase system from Revel Systems of San Francisco, ending the practice of cash only-sales after 72 years.
“We’re happy to be here for the Santa Cruz community — comfort food,” said Dillon.
To address concerns about health and safety, Wilcox — who is handy with a sewing machine — is making face coverings for employees, using a black-and-white Holstein-patterned fabric, building on a theme embraced by the former longtime owner Sam Lieberman.
Charley Wilcox, co-owner of Marianne’s Ice Cream, brought his own sewing machine to the Seacliff location with the goal to make facial coverings for his employees. • Photo Credit Jondi Gumz
Online ordering was up and running in two days. Wilcox had been researching the idea but the new restrictions made it a must.
“It was time,” Dillon said.
Wilcox noted how the COVID-19 pandemic is worldwide. Even the tech support team, which is in Lithuania, was working from home.
While new technology is in place, the project to build a 14,000-square foot manufacturing plant and store on the Santa Cruz Westside is on hold because of the health officer’s order.
Wilcox wants to control expenses by owning his own building and take advantage of new efficiencies.
He’s lined up Fisher Construction Group of Burlington, Washington, which has a specialty in food processing and cold storage, as the builder. The project means jobs for local subcontractors: Santa Cruz Plumbing, KT Mechanical, Swedberg Electric, Durden, Coast Concrete and Bowman & Williams.
A March 26 groundbreaking did not take place as planned, but the expansion is still needed.
“We’ve outgrown the space we’re in on the Westside,” Wilcox said. “We outgrew it a few years ago.”
Frank’s Pharmacy
New customers are discovering Frank’s Pharmacy in Aptos, said Tracy Bloomfeldt, for 19 years the pharmacy manager. She knows her customers by name.
Employees at Frank’s Pharmacy, one of the essential businesses in Aptos, working to help customers: From left, Cheryl Felice, Kelly Bartlebaugh, Jill Cain, Terry Cuaresma, Jason Kolb, Christina Kuo, Tracy Bloomfeldt and Quintin Halstead. • Photo Credit Jondi Gumz
The drugstore began offering curbside pickup, which she estimated is 10-20 percent of sales now.
Owner John Lindberg employs eight people in Aptos, and two of them are taking a voluntary leave of absence for their own health and safety.
“That’s been difficult,” Bloomfeldt said. “We’re been really busy.”
Frank’s ended Saturday hours because foot traffic then was slow but Bloomfeldt saw home deliveries jump from 12 a day to 35 a day.
So the hours of the employee making home deliveries were increased.
Before COVID-19, the state pharmacy board required people to sign for the package, she said. Now the state board changed the rules to make it easier for customers who want home delivery.
Although the pharmacy is busy, Bloomfeldt reports few complaints from customers.
“People have been really nice,” she said.
Lindberg also owns Boulder Creek Pharmacy and Watsonville Pharmacy.
Aptos Curves
Annette Hunt, owner of Aptos Curves, had to close her fitness business as it is not considered essential.
Annette Hunt
So she began offering 30-minute workouts on Facebook Live and on Curves’ YouTube channel.
“We are busy serving our members via phone calls and Facebook chats,” she said. “We are setting daily, weekly and monthly goals to help them stay active and focused on their health.”
She lost one employee who left voluntarily, and has one completing online training.
She is offering members “Curves On Demand,” a workout from Curves Corporate, which involves using a resistant band to mimic the resistance of the Curves machines.
Community members can try Curves On Demand workout for $19.99 a month — no commitment needed – but it does require a $30 resistant band. Aptos Curves will pay the sales tax.
Hunt recommends people who are interested call 831-688-2348 or email [email protected] instead of signing up on the website. You can also visit their Facebook page
All three owners have applied for U.S. Small Business Administration loans through their bank to support their operation through these difficult times. They are among many applying for the newly created “Paycheck Protection Program” in the CARES Act signed into law March 27 to help small businesses survive the COVID-19 outbreak. The CARES Act loans require less paperwork than the standard SBA disaster loans.
Santa Cruz County Bank
By April 9, Santa Cruz County Bank, a top SBA lender, had received so many applications from small business owners for the CARES Act loans, the bank stopped taking applications from people who are not current customers. A handy guide to the loans is posted at sccountybank.com.
Bank branches in Aptos and Scotts Valley closed temporarily; hours at other branches remain the same, but with limited staffing. Online banking is encouraged.
Mary Anne Carson, vice president and chief marketing officer, described some of the changes made to comply with the health officer’s order: There is a limit on the number of customers allowed inside and at teller windows, plastic barriers have been installed, just like grocery stores have done for checkers.
Gloves and hand sanitizer have been provided to employees, and tellers work at every other window to meet the six-foot social distance requirement. Janitorial cleaning has been stepped up, and employees are encouraged to wipe down ATMs, night depositories and door handles several times daily.
Many employees are working remotely. Meetings take place via phone or other method that does not require person-to-person interaction.
Last month, Santa Cruz County Bank was ranked fourth best-performing community bank in the nation and the top California community bank with less than $3 billion in assets.
The rankings were based on financials as of Dec. 31, when Santa Cruz County Bank had exceeded $1 billion in assets and loans had increased 54.5 percent compared to the prior year. Part of the growth came from a merger with locally owned Lighthouse Bank, and the two systems were completely integrated April 4-5 as scheduled, according to Santa Cruz County Bank President and CEO David Heald.
There have been no layoffs. Carson said the bank is hiring. Ten positions are open, in Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville, and applications are being accepted online.
Bay Federal Credit Union
During the COVID-19 crisis, the member-owned Bay Federal Credit Union is working to protect their members and employees.
Two of their smaller branches, in Aptos and Scotts Valley, have closed. Hours at open branches have shifted to 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; closed on Saturdays.
Staffing was increased significantly at the Call Center, and 100 employees are working remotely, including most of the Call Center staff.
Cough/sneeze guards have been installed at all reception areas, teller stations and customer service desk stations. Employees on the front lines are being rotated for their mental and physical health.
Management is reallocating resources to ensure no employee goes without pay.
To help members, Bay Federal has given out more than $200,000 in emergency loans and aims to ensure their credit scores are not adversely affected during these times. Staff are working with members to defer auto loans and mortgages, and to date, have completed more 1,000 loan deferrals.