This commentary is by Marc Sherman, the owner of Sherman Enterprises Inc., which includes Stowe Mercantile, The Boutique and Stowe Mercantile Kitchen.
A year ago, my businesses, Stowe Mercantile, Boutique and Stowe Mercantile Kitchen, were closed. The staff were becoming more concerned by the day about the severity of the growing virus and their interaction with the public.
I decided to close a week before the governor mandated that nonessential businesses close. I felt that jeopardizing my staff when so little was known about this virus was unacceptable. Staff members were sent home and I started scrambling to determine how and if my business of over 30 years was going to survive. There have been many sleepless nights during this stressful past year.
But as I look back now, the year also had many moments of gratitude, appreciation and celebration.
I am writing this as a sincere thank you to our loyal customers and to customers who made their first purchases from us. Some of you waited at our door for us to place your purchase there. Others had items shipped to their home just miles away. We delivered to people’s homes and drop-off points. No matter how the transaction was conducted, your choice to support this business has allowed us to survive.
I am also thankful for federal and state programs that funneled much-needed funding to my company. The vendors, the suppliers and other businesses we depend on, all worked with us when we could not pay our bills, even though they too were suffering from a dramatic downturn in their revenue.
And a special thank you to the staff here. They all put up with changing circumstances week to week, sometimes day to day, not knowing for months what their future was going to be. Being unemployed or having job insecurity is frightening and I know each person was constantly making tough choices for themselves and their families.
Thank you to other business owners, to friends and acquaintances who offered encouragement along the way. Your words often came at just the right time.
I appreciate all these people who in their way contributed to the continuity of my business. I am profoundly thankful.
I also want to acknowledge those businesses that will not return. There are owners, partners and employees whose lives have been turned upside down and have had to face terrible circumstances as they make their way forward. The communities these businesses served will also feel their loss.
As I look forward, one of the most important results of this tragic year is my renewed and expanded commitment to giving back to our communities. On this one-year anniversary, I am expanding that commitment. Our involvement, sometimes public, often private, will go further as I attempt to show my gratitude for the support that I, my employees and my business have received this past year.
I look forward to greeting everyone back to the stores this summer.