“Traffic is definitely up, says Katie Stice, President of the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce. “And a lot of businesses are doing more with less, maybe more with less staff. So it’s really important that people out there remain really patient and kind and continue to tip well and understand that these are small business owners who are really doing their best work.”
Foot traffic at the Garden is up because of the holiday weekend, some local business owners say. They are doing their best to keep the locals engaged so they can continue to spread the word about their businesses.
News Channel 3 interviewed a business owner who opened her first location just three months before Covid hit. “It was a challenging time for everyone, hopefully, and our doors were three months before we were told we had to close our doors,” says Stella Adena, owner of Rancho Relaxo.
“So it was a challenging time. But I think it strengthened our relationship with our customers. We have a very strong loyal customer base. Our word of mouth is great. And I think a lot of that comes from people still following us. cheer through this time.”
Rancho Relaxo is located in an outdoor mall in Palm Desert called The Garden.
As shoppers enter some of these local businesses, Stella advises other business owners to “double down” on customer service and relationship building. “I’m not for the doom and gloom story,” says Adena.
She sees increased foot traffic as an opportunity to make a sale and build a relationship so customers will come back.
An Economic Impact presentation from Visit Greater Palm Springs states, “Visitor spending in Greater Palm Springs recorded $5.6 billion in 2021, an increase of more than $2 billion over 2020.
A representative from the organization says their annual economic impact study will be out in a few months.
Tune in at 4pm, 5pm and 6 to hear from a business owner who survived Covid and is finding ways to connect with her customers to keep her doors open.
