In March of 2020, things completely changed. Pivoting and perseverance were key factors that kept Lily’s going from mid March until June 2020 where we had no one in the building except for staff and only operated four hours a day. We thought June would bring a return to normalcy — it did not. Neither did June of 2021, or 2022, or 2024. Best practices had gone mostly out the window, never to return. This year, myself and almost every other small business owner I know has started to hit the breaking point of not having a “normal” year in a very long time, and I’d be over the moon for that razor thin margin to come back. Instead, many of us have been operating at losses that have or will become unsustainable without an influx of support.
In addition to pivoting and persevering, the other key piece that helped us make it to June of 2020 and beyond was community. When I think of why I valued working in hospitality — specifically at independent restaurants — so much, it is also because of the community. For both staff and guests, mom and pop restaurants like mine are places to celebrate milestones, be together on a cheerful summer evening or cheer up a gloomy winter night, to commiserate when times are tough, and to do so in quirky and warm environments where your bartender knows your favorite drink and the host knows what table you like.
The challenges independent restaurants are facing are shared by small businesses across sectors including retail and services. They are also shared across price points, location, and political involvement or non involvement. It’s cost of goods, repairs, labor, changed dining and shopping habits, increased utilities and rent, competition from chains and big box stores — the list goes on and on. Daily, when I log in to work on Lily’s social media, I see another small business sharing that they are uncertain of how long they can sustain and remain a part of the community. Lily’s is one of these businesses, and we had shared that in a post back in August.
After that post, we had our best Thursday ever! And we ended August having made up a lot of ground, but each month, week, day, and shift has remained a challenge where we have to remain vigilant about every cost we can control. I’m hopeful we will make it to summer of 2025 and be able to reopen our 3 patio spaces, but to do that, we need the community to show up in the days and weeks and months to come and enjoy our indoor spaces too.
Showing up can mean physically showing up for small businesses, but we know things are tough for folks at home too. So while making the decision to support local over chains and big box stores when there is money to spend is key, showing up can also mean something as simple and free as liking, sharing, and commenting on social media. Additionally, just a kind word is appreciated more than folks could imagine. For those of us who are doing our best to remain vigilant to keep our spaces open and to create a community filled with quirky, fun, interesting, and beloved small businesses, it truly goes a long way.
Emily Mendenhall is the owner of Lily’s Dayton.
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