The landscape of many Michigan communities have become literal ghost towns because of the coronavirus pandemic, and that is causing many restaurant and bar owners to consider closing their doors for good.
Restaurants are working with a skeleton crew of employees to provide takeout and curbside orders, hoping in vain that customers will one day soon file through the doors for a real sit-down lunch or dinner.
However, if restaurants and bars in Michigan — hamstrung by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home order — are hearing that may not be possible until this summer.
Marie Blinn and her husband, who’ve owned and operated the Olde Peninsula Brewpub and Restaurant in Kalamazoo for the last 24 years, said they are barely hanging on and may not survive to reopen in June.
“We can’t keep open at this pace,” Blinn said in a MLive report.
Blinn and her husband have applied for financial assistance through the Michigan Business Relief Program, which is funded by the Michigan Strategic Fund and tasked with distributing $20 million in grants and small business loans to businesses impacted by the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Josh Hundt, who serves as vice president of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, said businesses that have applied for assistance should see checks arriving any day. But it may not be enough.
In fact, the $20 million earmarked for distribution will only be enough to help just 11,000 of the 873,700 small businesses in Michigan, leaving businesses to consider other sources of monetary aid to stay afloat.
According to MLive, other sources include The Right Place, which is distributing $1 million for businesses in 11 counties in West Michigan. Target Alpena Economic Development Corporation is distributing $200,000 among five counties. The Lansing Area Economic Partnership is taking grant and small business loan applications in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties.
Mike Mahler, executive director for Target Alpena Economic Development Corporation, said he has been swamped with hundreds of emails from local businesses leaders as he works from home.
“I don’t even have access to a good printer — I’m working in my kitchen,” Mahler told MLive. “It’s all kind of piecemealed together. It’s been a crazy week. The volume of email is just incredible.”
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