City grants help Gig Harbor shops keep the doors open and the lights on

For some small businesses, the $2,700 grant from the City of Gig Harbor was a welcome stimulus. For others, it paid the rent. For still more, it was the only thing keeping the doors open.

In mid-July, the city distributed a $308,000 state grant, funded under the Congressional CARES Act, to 111 businesses who qualified. Each received a check for exactly $2,774.77.

The city hopes the grant will help pull the whole regional economy out of the pandemic slump, said Marketing and Communications Director Laura Pettitt-Roe.

“Here in Gig Harbor tourism is a multi-level thing,” she said. People come not only to stay in a hotel, but to have the experience of the unique flavor of Gig Harbor. That is comprised of who lives here, the unique businesses here. We want to see as many businesses survive this time.”

The city’s interest is not altogether altruistic, she noted. Gig Harbor needs a thriving retail sector to survive as a city.

“Sales tax is one of the biggest contributors to what we can do here,” Pettitt-Roe said. “It’s a large percentage of city income and helps pay for the things that makes Gig Harbor livable. It goes toward the sidewalk projects, the sports complex project, and further than that, creating a great quality of life drives people to live here.”

To qualify for the funds, businesses had to hold a Gig Harbor business license, have ten or fewer full-time employees and show that they suffered a financial loss due to COVID-19.

From bookstores to dentists, these small business owners have put the money to good use, fighting to stay afloat during the pandemic. The Gateway spoke to some of them.

For the Love of Spice

Store owner Windy Payne her small business has lost a quarter of its income due to the Covid-19 shutdown. She’s using her grant money specifically for utilities and rent.

“We were essentially paying our expenses from our own pocket because we were making no money,” Payne said. “The $2,7000 helped to pay for those expenses.”

For the Love of Spice, located at 3104 Harborview Drive, is a food shop that specializes in handmade spice seasoning. blends and herbs.

Payne said she has a close relationship with many customers in the city.

“It’s important to keep the community intact,” she said. “The small businesses contribute greatly to what makes Gig Harbor Gig Harbor; we are a tight knit community. I have a close relationship with my customers. I try to treat them like a family friend.”

Although there is no way to make up for the loss of income, Payne said the city grant was very helpful,

No Dearth of Books

Guy and Martha Johnson felt owning a bookstore would be a great pastime during retirement. The used bookstore shut down in mid-March and started up again in mind-June.

“We survived on our own savings through the three months,” Guy Johnson said.

He said the grant will be used to recover for the three months of out-of-pocket rent.

No Dearth of Books is a small bookstore located at 7803 Pioneer Way. Guy and Martha Johnson purchased the bookstore in 2011.

“Essentially my wife thought it was something that would keep her busy, and it’s been fun,” Guy said. “It’s been a real fun retirement activity.”

Guy said July has been a good month, and business revenue is almost back to normal. He added that they had to rearrange the store to increase social distancing for their customers.

Green Cottage Pets

For the past 18 years, Green Cottage Pets Store Owner Tom Moodie has been serving the animals of Gig Harbor. Specializing in pet hips, joints, allergy problems, and dogs with cancer, Green Cottage Pets has been keeping Gig Harbor’s furry friends happy and moving.

Moodie said the grant money was spent instantly.

“What $2,700? That was gone in a heartbeat,” Moodie said, laughing. “It paid for payroll, rent, it went really quick, but was highly appreciated, believe me.”

Moodie said when a small business is down 40 percent in sales, any amount of money is extremely helpful.

“It will take a long time to where we are back to where we were, if we ever do,” he said. “This is going to have a permanent scar.”

Located at 3028 Harborview Drive, Green Cottage Pets is a small business with only three employees, including Moodie.

We’ve been open, but that doesn’t mean we are doing business,” Moodie said. “it’s been pretty rough.”

Occasions Coffee and Crepes

This grab-and-go crepe and coffee business has been serving the Gig Harbor community for the past 20 years.

Ray Wainright, the owner of Occasions Coffee and Crepes, said at the beginning of pandemic they were doing 15 percent of regular sales. Now, they are up to 50 percent of normal business.

“Our cost of goods, we noticed has gone up dramatically,” Wainright said. “You are hit with less gross revenue and more cost of goods.”

Wainright said the city grant helped bridge the revenue gap, giving them the opportunity to look down the road a bit further.

“I appreciate the city and all the help that can be provided for small businesses,” Wainright said. “I was glad the city stepped up to help the best they could.”

Wainright said small, local businesses are the driving force for revenues in the city, and he encourages all the support local businesses.

Shinn Kids Dental

Co-owner Faria Shinn said the grant has gone directly toward health and safety materials, such as hand sanitizer and face masks.

“They are the most needed right now to make sure we stop the spreading of the virus,” Shinn said. “We have to keep doing hand sanitizer and cleaning every time customers come in. Most people forget to come in with masks, so we give them a mask too.”

Located at 5122 Olympic Drive A-101, Shinn Kids Dental donates 100 percent of all profit to charitable programs. During COVID, Shinn Kids Dental was closed, but they did take emergency appointments for is needed.

Shinn said the money has been extremely helpful, pushing their business closer to where they need to be.

“Support small business, as so many are going through hardship right now,” Shinn urged. “Any help that people can give would be appreciated. We are so thankful for Gig Harbor, for what they did for us. Thank you.”

This story was originally published August 5, 2020 at 12:00 AM.