26 BCBUSINESS.CA SEPTEMBER 2023 ISTOCK
Did You
Say
Downturn?
n
It's fairly easy to become desensitized
to the constant churn of small businesses
in the province. Every so often, probably
more than you'd like to admit, you see via
social media scroll that a bakery or restau-
rant or shoe store in your neighbourhood
is shutting down, and then tell the nearest
person with a sober sigh.
There's no denying that watching the
COVID-19 pandemic turn into a quasi-reces-
sion has been a nightmare for many busi-
nesses of all sizes. But it's been particularly
troubling for the small establishments that
are narrowly staying between the margins.
We decided to find the success stories—
businesses that have made an adjustment
or two that helped them not just stay afloat
during these difficult times, but actually
thrive and excel.
Here, you'll find stories about a grocery
store greenlighting rapid expansion in
order to bring down costs, a video game
company embracing a new business
model, a group of citizens fighting to save
a neighbourhood full of storefronts and
11 other tales of innovation and survival.
We're pretty confident that they're all
worth putting the phone down for.
How 14 small businesses
are staying in the black and
surviving during a deadly
economic period
b y N A T H A N C A D D E L L ,
A L Y S S A H I R O S E a n d
R U S H M I L A R A H M A N
S M A L L
B U S I N E S S
