Charlotte business owners use social media, take-home kits to combat winter slowdown

CHARLOTTE — A second round of winter weather couldn’t come at a worse time for small business owners in Charlotte who said January is always difficult even without storms.

FORECAST: Charlotte area could get 6 inches of snow; state of emergency declared

Channel 9’s Hannah Goetz shares how they’re getting creative to keep business booming.

“It gets scary,” said Lindsay Anvik, co-owner of Babe and Butcher, a charcuterie and catering business located in Park Road Plaza.

Her business is feeling the impact of winter weather and a slowdown in spending after the holidays.

“January gets to be really overwhelming,” Anvik said. “And on the weekends for food, beverage and retail, it gets to be really difficult, because that’s usually where we sort of have most of our sales, our busiest days, our events. So, we’re just trying to think outside the box.”

Anvik said, like many other business owners, she is using social media to reach customers.

Babe and Butcher’s Instagram video: “So, please whatever you can do to support small businesses, getting gift cards, shopping online.”

She came up with take-home charcuterie kits, bringing Babe and Butcher to your home in case her doors are closed this weekend due to snow.

Instagram video: “It’s something you can do inside with the kids to support small businesses.”

Heather Ladue said the post caught her attention.

“I saw their Instagram post that small businesses hurt in January, and then having last weekend be closed, and the potential for this weekend be closed, and she showed the board” Ladue said. “The first thing we did was order this board, and then she got one because she thought it was cute. And then I got a board for later for this weekend “

Anvick said it’s that kind of reaction and support that makes a difference.

“Supporting small businesses, you don’t realize, helps your neighbor help pay their mortgage, or, you know, helps pay their gas or their day care bill,” Anvick said. “And that means that, you know, Charlotte stays the great city, that it.”

Babe and Butcher said if you can’t buy something ahead of the storm, sharing small businesses’ posts on social media to get the word out to others is a huge help, too.

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