Pittsfield's downtown business group says local businesses have suffered during the pandemic. Popular restaurants such as Patrick's Pub on Bank Row saw their revenues halved as people avoided inside dining.

Downtown Pittsfield Inc. is looking for more ways to support business, such as its successful gift card program.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Without a resumption of "normal" business in the post-pandemic landscape, downtown Pittsfield may lose a number of businesses.

Downtown Pittsfield Inc. Board President Branden Huldeen and Executive Director Cheryl Mirer outlined the ways that the pandemic has affected downtown businesses to the City Council last week.

"Businesses in downtown are hurting," Huldeen said. "And I will say that I actually truly believe businesses would be hurting more if it wasn't for this city stepping up and working with them, finding grants, and giving city money to help keep our businesses afloat."

Two well-known restaurants: Mission Bar and Tapas and Patrick's Pub are not able to support a full staff and are seeing a severe loss in revenue from COVID-19 restrictions.

Mission, which was bought by Mill Town Capital in 2019, was forced to reduce restaurant hours in the fall and closed in December. The restaurant had to lay off most of its staff and has lost more than 50 percent of revenue.

A source told iBerkshires that before Mission's decision to temporarily close, it would sometimes see only a couple tables per night because of the lack of people willing to dine inside during the pandemic.

Mission plans to reopen in the spring and looks forward to utilizing the outdoor patio and hopefully bringing back live music, which made the restaurant a bustling, lively place before the pandemic.

Patrick's sales are down by more than 50 percent in the last year.  To comply with social distancing, it has only 25 percent of the tables they offered prior to the pandemic.

"They're extremely understaffed, and struggling more than ever to find both front and back of house staff," Mirer said. "the minimum wage has increased the cost of foods has increased overhead costs have not decreased, so sales have plummeted."

The restaurant reportedly almost closed for good in December, but is surviving today thanks to federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.

Mirer said there is "no question" that Steven Valenti's clothing store was hurt by the pandemic, as people are not buying suits and ties and with the absence of proms and weddings. The 38-year old business closed from March to June 2020 and has now pivoted in large part to casual wear, hoping to see more foot traffic.

Berkshire General Store, which celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2020, was forced to cut staff and hours because more people were working from home and frequenting the store less.

There were some downtown closures because of the pandemic, Mirer explained, including Freddie's on Fenn Street and Sen Sushi, but some businesses have opened during this time including Red Rocks Chicken and Soul Food, Familiar Trees bookstore, and the rebuilt A-Mart.

DPI last stood in front of the council one year ago before the statewide shutdown. In March 2020, the business group quickly hosted a gift card program that pumped more than $21,000 into downtown businesses' pockets.

In December, the program gained permanency and DPI currently has 26 member businesses that accept the gift cards. Since mid-December, $7,000 worth of gift cards have been purchased and they expect that number to grow.

"We really encourage people to sit on gift cards as long as possible, and really helps many businesses get through some of the early tough months," Huldeen said.

DPI has formed a recovery committee that surveys the state of downtown Pittsfield and a revitalize committee that is thinking of creative, fun, and urgent ways to welcome people back to the area when it can be fully open.

"If we don't do something, and by 'we' I mean 'everyone' doesn't, if we don't all do something we're going to start seeing more businesses close, and none of us want to see that," Huldeen said.

• Most Read

• Most Comments

• All News

• Blogroll

• Photos