The New Hartford Shopping Center looks a bit like a ghost town, but business like the Olde Wicker Mill are getting creative with their marketing. Olde Wicker Mill Owner Laura Misiaszek is now using facetime to try and keep her clients happy. She’s adhering to the half-staff, and keeping 10 people or less in a gathering, as well as offering curbside deliveries. She may not be seeing the usual income, but believes the hardship is just a temporary setback.

"We’ve been around a long time. I’ve weathered a lot of storms over 40 years. This is just another storm, so I believe we’ll get through it, and I’m doing the best I can to keep my employees employed as long as we can. If people continue to come in, and we do a little bit of business, enough to pay our help, we will continue to be open," she said.

She also believes keeping the doors open is also important for people’s state of mind.

"We are trying to do everything we can to make people feel comfortable, because they still need to have a little bit of normalcy. We worry about the mental health as well as the physical health with this whole thing," Misiaszek added.

Ed Lasek Optical Owner Ed Lasek thinks it’s important that every square inch of his business is sanitized, and people keep their social distance.

"I don’t really have so much walk in traffic as I do with referrals, so I don’t think with that aspect of the business it’s hurting me that much. We are definitely seeing a slow-down, don’t get me wrong, but the main thing we have going is we need to stay sanitized and we have to take care of people individually," he said.

Lasek thinks it’s equally important for anyone who interacts directly with the public take as many precautions as they can.

"I mean I would be more than happy if a patient of mine pulled up, and they didn’t want to come in to the place, I would be more than happy to go out to their car and fit them with their glasses. I mean we need to do anything we need to do to make people comfortable right now," said Lasek.

There are ways to keep your social distancing while still supporting local businesses, and remember, the profits from those local businesses also support the local economy.