Many Springfield, Mo businesses are learning how to continue serving their customers during a stay-at-home order that prohibits visits to their shops. They’ve had to come up with creative ways to keep their doors open with outside-the-box ideas.
Delivery and curbside pickup are a couple ways to get through the quarantine, but these local shops have taken it one step further. Here are my favorites:
SOAP Refill Station
SOAP Refill Station sits in downtown Springfield and their original business model required that people bring in their own reusable containers to fill with soap, cleaning supplies, and other household products. It’s a great model for reducing plastics and offering great prices on your most often-used soaps.
But what happens when people have to stay home? They are still open for customers (as of April 15) following safety protocol, but they’ve added curbside and drop-off services. My favorite change they’ve made is offering delivery with a twist. Since they’re all about reusing the plastic bottles and containers that would normally go in the trash or recycling, they had to find a way to close this loop. Enter delivery “just like the milkman!” You set out your used bottles to be refilled and they pick them up when delivering your new order.
Why is this awesome?
- People from all walks of life are embracing more eco-friendly purchasing habits. SOAP offers an easy way to get on board with products you already use.
- They give you a reason to shop local. Soap products are easily picked up at Walmart or ordered at Amazon, but by making it easy and fast to receive your order, there’s no reason not to support a local business.
- With social distancing in effect, they’ve offered a way to skip an aisle at the grocery store, or maybe even visit all together if you ran out of one product. Your item shows up at your doorstep!
SOAP offers everything from laundry and dishwashing soap to hand soap, floor cleaner, lotion, and shampoo. You can also pick up eco-friendly household items like safety razors, menstrual cups, utensil kits, and bamboo toothbrushes.
Restaurants Offer Family-Style Takeout
The Springfield community has come together to support local restaurants, but restaurants also recognize that their customers may be looking for budget-friendly options to choose from. Enter the family-style meal! There’s no argument about who is ordering what, just pick up the box and dig in.
Here are a few restaurants offering family meals:
The Merry Moore
Clothing boutique The Merry Moore has temporarily closed its brick and mortar store during the stay-at-home order. To compensate, owner Hayley has shifted back to her roots of online only sales. The minimum order for free shipping has been reduced to encourage sales. She has also added a fun product that’s perfect during these times of physical distancing- care packages.
Care packages are the perfect gift to send to the people you can’t see in person. They say “I miss you,” while bringing a smile to the recipient’s face and undoubtedly brightening their day. Normally, you could put your own care package together, but Hayley has made it simple so you don’t have to pick up each item them go to the post office during a pandemic.
The small care package includes a specialty keychain, candle, hair tie, and card. The large care package includes everything from the small care package, plus a bag, and your choice of sandal or clothing item. Getting one of these in the mail would sure make my day.
By creating a specialty product that brings people together, The Merry Moore has made spending money at their shop easy- while spreading joy in uncertain times.
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What’s your favorite Springfield business pivot? Send it to me and I just might add it to the post.
