12/30/2020
Businesses faced closure, struggled to adapt in 2020
Nick and Elaine Markopolous, of Hudson, Mass., are served by Justine Dancuse, of Woonsocket, outside Christopher’s Kitchen & Bar in May. (Breeze file photo by Robert Emerson)
Pandemic spurs new activity in some sectors
There were few sectors harder hit by the COVID-19 pandemic than the small business community, where protective measures disrupted a way of life for thousands of business owners across the state.
In Woonsocket, restaurant owners and small retail businesses were forced to shut their doors to customers in March as a wave of infections spread across the state. Takeout replaced table service as customers flocked to support local restaurants, but with fewer customers and no in-person alcohol sales, many owners still reported a drop in sales of more than 50 percent.