something , and rooster and cow creamers , because they ’ re part of people ’ s pasts .” The effects of the pandemic on the retail supply chain and small businesses has been brutal . The National Federation of Independent Businesses reports national sales levels are half or less than pre-COVID for about one in five retailers . The U . S . Bureau of Labor Statistics is still tabulating the number of permanent small-business closures related to the pandemic .
“ The pandemic forced small businesses to change the way they operate and find new ways to service their customers while keeping everyone safe ,” says Miryam Mora Barajas , communications director for the U . S . Small Business Administration Region IX , which covers California , Nevada , Arizona , Hawaii , Guam and American Samoa .
The scenario has been grim , yet small businesses continue to open , and some longtimers — like Tess ’ Kitchen & Culinary — have found ways to thrive under new owners .
The latest incarnation
Short is the ninth owner of Tess ’, which Tess Hawkins opened in the 1930s as a card and gift shop . The store has changed sites in downtown Grass Valley three times . Short ’ s incarnation is a savvy one , given her background of 40 years in retail and wholesale , representing A-list manufacturers on both coasts , and overseeing their multistate sales regions .
In high school , Short worked in a shoe store in Truckee , where she grew up . Eventually , she was recruited by a Connecticut shoe company “ and my career went boom , boom , boom .” Short segued from shoes to gift and tabletop items , then to home products , creating a national network of vendors and suppliers that she calls on in her new role as business owner .
Prior to buying Tess ’ Kitchen & Culinary , Short ’ s last job was as the California-Nevada rep for OneCoast , a higher-end wholesaler in the homeproducts space . Tess ’ Kitchen Store ( as it was called then ) was one of her clients . When she learned the owner wanted
Tess ’ Kitchen & Culinary buys from more than 400 vendors to stock the 6,000-square-foot store .
“ COVID has forced everybody to stay home . They don ’ t need new clothes or shoes , but they do have to eat , and they ’ re upping their cooking game .”
Alice “ Penny ” Short , owner , Tess ’ Kitchen & Culinary
to sell , “ I had a loan in my pocket , if the model made sense ,” says Short , who was living in Sacramento at the time . “ I looked at the store ’ s numbers , and they needed work , which is why I came onboard ( as general manager ) in April 2019 and said , ‘ This is what we need to do .’”
Short became owner in January 2020 and has moved to Penn Valley , which is near Grass Valley . “ My career had led me to this , and I put everything I had into the purchase ,” she says . “ Our grand opening was planned for March 28 , but we had to close March 19 because of COVID . We were devastated but immediately jumped to , ‘ What do we need to do , and how do we do it ?’” She secured SBA Disaster Loan Assistance , “ but I haven ’ t had to break open that egg .”
Tess ’ Kitchen & Culinary reopened to in-store customers last May . “ We are officially ahead of last year , and there aren ’ t a lot of retailers who can say that right now ,” Short says , referring to sales through the end of October . “ Our clientele is 80 percent locals , 20 percent visitors , and there ’ s an influx of people moving into Nevada County .
“ My world has flipped , the pandemic changed everything . At one point , I sold out of Dutch ovens , and my most popular line of measuring cups was discontinued . I ’ m getting our online business up and running , so at least we ’ ll have that to fall back on .”
Short ’ s biggest problems are dependable delivery and obtaining product from suppliers that are cutting back
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