Page 30 - Sonoma County Gazette 6-20

Someday we’ll meet again
Business SURVEY PROVIDES MIXED RESPONSES!
People are coming out, many wearing their masks, and on Sunday at the Plaza this Memorial Day weekend, family groups clustered six feet or more apart. This is good, though some say not good enough, healthwise. Frankly it’s hard to wear a mask on a hot afternoon, especially if you’re going to eat.
As weeks pass Springs’ neighbors ask, “How are the businesses faring during the virus shutdown. Springs Splash canvassed people along Highway 12 to find out. Although unable to cover the full eighteen blocks from Verano to Aqua Caliente, considerable time was taken obtaining a view of economic life in the time of Covid-19.
And eating there was, judging from garbage cans bursting with the paper and plastic of takeout meals. But there wasn’t much shopping going on. Not yet.
Most restaurants offer curbside pick-up and delivery. That is the case with Baker and Cook, E-Saan’s, and Ye Olde Sonoma Pub. The owner of the Pub, Coley Thinnes, seemed exasperated asking, “When is this ever going to be over?” We didn’t have an answer for him.
In the meantime we are all buying everything on line. Even food comes by delivery. We may not be using much gas these days, but Amazon is certainly using it. And unlike the rest of us, Amazon is making money.
Posted on the Pub’s door was a note from Barbie! Protective Mask-Making! Call or text Barbie! 707-337-6930 – 100% cotton inside and the outside made of denim or cotton. Choices of material to fit your taste! What an opportunity!
If we look over our heads and into the future, the larger picture is grim.
We are moving into a time of corporate control over just about every facet of our lives. The Big Box stores we fought to keep out of our town are now operating behind the veil of their Internet shopping sites. Try to get a person on the phone to address a problem!
Taqueria Sonoma (938-8622) reported that business was off. “Maybe 50%,” said Irma Barajan. Taqueria Sonoma at the Fiesta Shopping Center is open and ready for your business. Down the walkway at Chapala Market and Deli Arturo Ulloa reports that business is good. Based on the number of patrons present that appeared to be the case. Next door, the Sonoma Dollar Store seems to be thriving as masked persons passed their portals trying to make the best of a reduced income.
If we look at the little things, it’s apparent that the clock has turned back on many of our better practices. Remember bringing your own bag into the grocery store? Paper bags are now piling up next to my fridge. Filling your water jug with filtered water instead of buying plastic gallon bottles? for recycling, but we don’t a great recycling program place.
Salons and Nail Spas – A Case of Economic Deflation! Hair salons and nail spas are closed. Interestingly, there are friendly polite messages of regret by the proprietors on the doors of each salon visited. Closure of the Springs salons brings a corresponding loss of income, jobs for employees, and rent for the landlord. This compounding closure and downturn loss reverberates through the economy.
The world that is emerging on the other side of this pandemic could be sterile, wrapped in plastic, and controlled by the invisible Wizard of Inc.
Is this what we want? And if not, is there something we can do? Sliding into apathy or depression will just reinforce the web of control that is being dropped over our lives.
In a letter to the Sonoma Sun, Georgia Kelly of PraxisPeace suggested we develop an urban culture more like Europe’s, blocking traffic from First Street for outdoor dining. Richard Raley has a similar idea in the IT. Saul Gropman of Café Le Haye suggests table service on the sidewalk. That might be a start. With people getting into a furor over proposed bike lanes on Broadway, the reaction to blocking off streets is predictable.
Springs Salons affected include CC Salon (935-8329), Rainbow Nails Spa (934-8719), Maxwell Nails Salon (933-3838), Sonoma Nails (933-8681), Aviel Hair Salon (933-8993), Hair Design by Cindy Hoffman (996-3318), Hairitage Salon (996-3641), Jazmine Beauty & Boutique (933-8138), Karen Robertson (938- 1834), Kesson (935-0100), Sonoma Salon (996-6460), Sunset Salon (996-1360).
Change is hard but not has hard as it looks. We’re forced to change whether we like it or not. What if we took the reins and made the kinds of changes our community needs, as fire season rolls in (months early) and climate change looms on the horizon.
Fruit Basket business seemed to be thriving. We didn’t speak with Manager Tony before press time but the lineup at the counter tended to indicate they are doing alright. Across the street Plain Jane’s is locked tight. Customers wait at home anxious to see available “hand-me-ons” when the doors re-open. The Smoke House (509-5480) is all curb side and ready to go! Get your ribs and take them home. Danish and Donut (938-1333) down the street is closed.
One thing I know: protecting our local economy is critical. We need to support local retail, dining, and entertainment. And most fundamental is supporting family farms. We’ve got to stop buying blueberries from Chile in January.
Sonoma Eats is the newest eatery in the Springs. Estaban Flores reports its only take-out business for now, but it’s ”very good for us.” In addition to the stationary location Sonoma Eats has a dinner van that sells six days a week from the parking lot at the Barking Dog. Open for lunch and dinner the numbers for Sonoma Eats are 343-1537 and 623-6317.
People are starving, and the Food Banks are overwhelmed; but are they distributing local produce? No. Can something be done about that?
I don’t have the answers but we do need to have the conversation. The time will come when we can have meetings again! We should start planning for some type of town hall or what is now called a Citizens Assembly. Guidelines may be found on the web. It’s a form of participatory democracy, which Councilmember Amy Harrington touted at a recent council meeting. But it’s not done by survey; it’s a place to show up, to voice individual opinions in a civilized way, to build agreements, and maybe vote.
The Springs automotive business appears lively. As we pass Williams, Kovacs, Larbre’s, and Sonoma Auto Service each appears open and active.
We could consider creating a local currency. These have worked in many Transition Towns around the world. We have a couple of credit unions; we could have a local bank.
OTHER MARKETS: A stop at the Boyes Food Center brought word from Cashier Raje Swori Shre St Ha, a native of Nepal, that business has dropped off. The Food Center remains open but they have had to reduce their hours
to 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Tienda Iniguez (Hwy 12 and Arroyo Road) has been doing well according to Virginia Mendoza and Raul Alcala. They report that the produce is exceptionally good. The Barking Dog (939-1905) serves coffee and pastries to go from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. Manager Victor Hodgkins reports the Dog is doing “OK” although they have had to reduce staff.
We could also begin to buy shares in local businesses instead of investing in a distant stock market, using some of the tools for community financing now available.
Down the road a few blocks the Creekside Café lists take out meals from 8:30-1:30 – call 996-8062.
When the plague ends, let’s be certain to utilize our neighbors’ businesses. We are all in this together.
We are actually prepared to deal with this emergency. We just have to agree. And act.
30 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 6/20