Kirk C. Watkins, Jamestown. As the Coronavirus crisis continues to plague the economy, many small business owners are struggling to retain employees and provide enough financial support for themselves and their families. Restaurants are among the hardest hit, as government backing has been sporadic and difficult to access. These variables are forcing many restaurant business owners to make tough decisions about layoffs and closures. 

Potentially providing residents within their respective territories the only option for resources for miles. Often times in remote mountain towns, local businesses have provided multiple amenities. The Jamestown Mercantile, or The Merc as it’s now named, is one of those places. Rainbow Schultz, the owner of The Merc, has had to fundamentally change its operating strategies to continue to provide for its community during the state mandated Coronavirus lockdown. 

“The Merc is an institution that has supported the community surrounding it for many years. It acts as the gathering place, the place for communicating, for performing, for sharing meals and sharing our mountain experience,” says Schultz. “As the proprietor of The Merc, it is incredibly important to me that The Merc remain a place of support for the community and that we do everything that we are able to keep it viable to re-open fully in the future.”

She explained that she had applied for the loans that have been offered to small businesses but had not heard anything in response. “When you realize that if you want to be open in the future, there really isn’t any choice but to try to cobble together ideas to keep that option open. The Merc applied for the SBA and PPP loan, but like most small businesses right now, we also haven’t received any word from the government. When the government asks you to close but doesn’t help offset your fixed costs, you have to get creative quickly and figure out the avenues that might work.”

Citizens of the state had been asked to temporarily stay at home for two reasons. One reason is to protect the customers that may be exposed to the Coronavirus by encountering workers that may be carrying the virus. The other reason is to protect the workers that are keeping the business open from exposure by customers visiting the businesses, thereby spreading the virus. 

Governor Polis has amended the stay at home order into the “Safer at Home” protocols. 

The new regulations which went into effect starting May 1, 2020, can be found on the Colorado State Department of Public health and environment website: 

According to that website, “Right now, we are in Level 2: Safer at Home. Coloradans are no longer ordered to stay home but are strongly advised to stay at home. Critical businesses are open and non-critical businesses are operating with restrictions.”

Meanwhile, Boulder County has extended their own stay-at-home order, which exceeds the period set by the state regulation. According to the Boulder County Website, https://www.bouldercounty.org/news/boulder-county-extends-stay-at-home-order-through-may-8/

“The statewide Stay-at-Home Order is set to expire on Sunday, April 26, and Governor Polis has directed local public health officials to implement data-informed strategies at the local level that best meets the needs of local communities. Along with other local public health agencies in the region, Boulder County Public Health will extend the current Colorado Stay-At-Home order through May 8 in order to develop clear strategies and guidelines for preventing a surge of Covid-19 cases when our community moves to the ‘safer-at-home’ phase.” 

The new restrictions update the ones that had been established for businesses to operate safely if they were considered essential. They will allow businesses, like The Merc, to continue to operate safely while providing essential services to communities where they reside.

Schultz has been providing curbside pickup of food and groceries, as well as delivery of meals to community members. “I’m only open four hours a week. Monday and Thursday evenings for an hour and Saturday mornings for two hours. Our community has been incredibly supportive. We began an online sign up for meals during those hours and an online store through our website to be able to purchase items ahead of time. We have never kept with the times regarding technology at The Merc, so it’s been entertaining for all of us to join 2020. Amazingly, we’ve had a lot of luck with all of us adapting to today’s online systems.” 

One of the populations that is hardest hit by violations of the stay at home order are the health care workers that are manning the frontline in the effort to quell the outbreak and keep it at a manageable level for the hospitals.

“I definitely appreciate that staying home will help us to move through this global pandemic cooperatively,” Schultz said, “I have friends who are nurses working around the clock and I hate to think that anyone wouldn’t do everything in their power to help them - and help all of us collectively be healthier on the other side of it. Of course, it was heartbreaking to close our dining room. But right now, we are just working on being patient and keeping the faith that we’ll be able to fully reopen someday soon.”

She has been able to maintain her delivery schedule through the efforts of Merc employees who have continued to provide essential services for the restaurant. One of those employees is Jamie Preira who appreciates the opportunity to contribute in the effort to provide food to her neighbors and friends. “I am so sad without the Merc. Without music, Rainbow’s dinners, hugs from friends and neighbors, the feeling of community in general, this little hour-long delivery service twice a week gives me a light at the end of the quarantine tunnel.” 

She also recognizes that the service is not as utilized as it could be. “I have about five deliveries every Monday and Thursday. I would love to have more people supporting the Merc! Although obviously appreciated, there is absolutely no pressure to tip me or anything, so I hope folks aren’t ordering because they don’t want to spend extra money on delivery. I really just enjoy doing it, so I hope more people begin signing up and using the service!”

Schultz remains hopeful that she can continue her services, and that The Merc will be able to survive the crisis by adapting to the changing needs of her community. “We’re just staying really open and responsive to the needs of the community. We’ve already tried a few things that didn’t work and found a few things that do work. For example, we had a request for Enchiladas, so we added Enchiladas to the weekly meal order. We had a request for darker beer, so we bought darker beer. We’ve been selling a lot of champagne and pies.” 

Somewhat surprisingly, Jamestown residents have maintained their eclectic nature while riding out the storm, “We keep thinking that people will want to buy our staple items like flour, rice, produce, but actually everyone just wants champagne and pie,” she said. “We give out free toilet paper with every dinner pick up, because we are able to get toilet paper through our distributor easily. We just see every week what people are requesting and what we can offer. We just started selling our Pineapple Habanero Margaritas in Mason Jars and they are our new best seller. I think it feels good to have Mason Jars full of special treats when you’re quarantining at home.”

Although the workers and residents in Jamestown have managed to fill their time with different pursuits, the desire to interact as a community has been an underlying motivation to come together as a cohesive team. 

“Our workers are sad that we’re closed like the rest of us. We’re all working on our patience, together and collectively. There has been a huge amount of support among all of us. People sharing groceries, making masks, taking turns driving to the grocery store for one another. Our bartender comes in when no one else is around and waters all of the plants so that they’re alive when this is all over and we can return to The Merc.”

The Merc is only one snapshot of the many restaurants and businesses struggling to endure though the Coronavirus crisis and make it out the other side with some sense of continuity. The Merc’s ability to creatively manage the situation and find new ways of supporting their community has allowed folks to forge their paths through these tough times with a little more ease. 

To order dinner or shop the Merc Market you can order online at https://www.jamestownmercantile.com.

(Originally published in the May 7, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)