The Coshocton County Beacon March 25, 2020 | Page 3

March 25, 2020
The Beacon • 3
Coshocton small businesses feel
the pinch from COVID-19 crisis
By Marianne Austin
Small bu si nesses a re
the first to feel the pinch
from the COVID-19 cri-
sis. Not only is this making
life harder for customers,
but it is also creating hard-
ships for small businesses
and their employees who
are losing wages. Local
Coshocton County busi-
nesses are looking at any
and all ways to get through
this. As members of the
community it’s important to
support and help local busi-
nesses stay afloat so that the
community can prosper.
Coshocton Coffee Con-
nection is still maintain-
ing regular hours from 6
a.m. to 6 p.m. said Lydia
Darling. “It is a little slow-
er than normal and we are
cutting shifts,” she said.
“That makes it a difficult
time for our employees, but
we are just going with the
f low. We’re trying to stay
open and keep things run-
ning for as long as we can.”
Darling added that they
are still having half price
Wednesdays and weekly
specials. To place an order,
740-623-3234.
“We hope our customers
will keep coming in and
supporting us,” she said.
“We are thankful this is a
car r y-out establish ment
so we can serve our com-
munity and will continue
to work with the CDC and
local public health officials
to ensure our guests’ and
team’s well-being. Custom-
ers can still get the same
great food just come into
the lobby, use the drive-
thru or call in their order
a nd a st a f f p e r son w i l l
bring it out to the car. Gift
cards are also available.”
Roberta’s Diner in War-
saw is getting by with just
carry out and take out food
orders. They had to lay off
about 20 employees, Keith
Saylor said. Co-owners,
Saylor and Rober ta Cra-
mer are keeping the busi-
ness going themselves dur-
ing this time with a couple
employees coming in to
help with the dinner rush
when people are getting off
work. 
“A lot of people travel out
of here and through here,
so we changed our hours to
focus on times when peo-
ple want and need lunch
and dinner,” he said. “This
weekend we are going to try
our first breakfast and see if
there’s a need for it. There’s
no magic bullet, that’s for
sure. Food bills have to be
paid two weeks out. There
are also gas bills and electric
bills to pay. This is a cash
flow business and when the
cash flow stops you get into
The Oswalds are hoping
their employees will come
back when the crisis is over.
“ We wo r k eve r y d ay
through the winter,” Sue
said. “This is only the sec-
ond day we have been closed
but it feels like a week. We
have a nice lunch and dinner
crowd and carry out, but we
haven’t had the volume to
stay open just for that. Peo-
ple want to bowl, and I don’t
want to say no. There’s not a
lot we can do about it. Some
of the leagues are just going
Local Coshocton County businesses
are looking at any and all ways to
get through this. As members of the
community it’s important to support
and help local businesses stay afloat
so that the community can prosper.
trouble quick.”
The diner has suffered a
75 percent decrease in busi-
ness. The regulars like to
come in and sit and visit and
they can’t do that now. A lot
of older customers are just
staying home and not ven-
turing out much.
“ We’re t ot al ly at t he
mercy of the situation,” Say-
lor said. “We hope the best
for ever ybody. We don’t
want anyone to get sick.
There’s not a lot of industry
and we hope to find a way
to make it through, so we
don’t lose anymore industry
in the county.”
Restaurant hours are 10
a.m. to 7 p.m. right now.
Customers ca n buy gif t
ca rd s as well. T hey a re
right inside the door for
anyone wanting to purchase
some. To place an order call
740-824-5000.
Legacy Lanes & Lounge
bowling center closed its
doors at 7 p.m. on March
16 per Gov. Mike DeWine’s
order. Owners Jeff and Sue
Oswald operate the fam-
ily business which includes
their two daughters and two
granddaughters along with
15 employees. 
to end their season now.
We’ve lost all that as well.
Some of it we won’t be able
to make up. But, it is what it
is. It’s a financial hardship
because we’re losing the rest
of our league season. Some
of the leagues are ending
four to six weeks early and
some are saying let’s just
wait and pick up where we
they left off.”
The family decided to
u s e t h i s d ow n t i me for
maintenance, repairs and
cleaning; things we usually
do in the summer when it’s
slow.
“There seems to be
great enthusiasm in hav-
i ng t he s u m me r le a g ue
this year,” Sue said. “My
husband said it’s the most
h e’s s e e n i n 4 0 y e a r s .
We’ve been getting a lot of
phone calls. When we first
bought the bowling alley
many of the bowlers came
to help and I’m sure they
will be there to help again.
They’re a pretty amazing
group of people.”
Even home businesses
are seeing the effects of
COVID-19 as events are
ca ncele d or p ost p one d .
K at ie Hu lt z , propr iet or
of Katie Bakes said it has
“heavily “ affected her home
baking business. Hultz gets
all her business from orders.
Two weeks ago, she had
plenty of orders and now 90
percent have been canceled
or postponed. “I would say
about one third have been
postponed” she said. “Busi-
ness had been pretty steady
and it’s like you have been
laid off without notice. I
have two orders this week
and the other seven were
cancelled. We have tentative
dates, but you don’t know
yet what is happening in
June.”
Hultz had been planning
a wedding with a client she
met last year at the wedding
expo. One week out and
the wedding was cancelled.
This affects everyone else
too; florists - the venue, she
said.  
Hultz started her home
busi ness while work i ng
six days a week at WTNS
radio and with the support
of family and friends she
left the radio station in 2015
to commit to her business
full time.
She will customize
orders specific to what the
client has in mind What-
ever design or favorite color,
theme, sport, she will try
anything so that the custom-
er gets exactly what they
want. She has a great sup-
port system from family and
friends. Quite a few people
have reached out with their
thoughts and prayers and
one friend “liked” every-
thing on her Katie Bakes
Facebook page. Other small
businesses have reached out
in the community and men-
tioned her name to generate
more business.
“Once I was over the ini-
tial shock of it I decided to
plan ahead and look at some
different recipes and some
things I’d like to try,” Hultz
said “Look ahead and find
the silver lining in it. Hop-
ing for the best and hoping it
ends soon, knowing it’s not
in anyone’s control. We will
get to the other end of it and
be the better for it.”
See PINCH Page 5
6
th
Elsee Jane!
We Love You!
BF-00476781