Natasha Canning wanted to get Pep's Diner up and running in Happy Valley-Goose Bay back in December of last year but there were a number of hurdles to get over along the way.
Things were looking good-to-go in March, but the COVID-19 pandemic represented an unprecedented curveball for Canning, who is managing operations on behalf of her father, Mike Boisey, who owns the building and came up with the business idea.
“It's just at a point now where we can't afford to wait any longer,” Canning told The Telegram. “We're going to take the necessary precautions, like social distancing and cleanliness ... It's a good opportunity right now, because people are looking for places to eat out.”
For people with a new business or those who are coming in new to an already-established operation, the challenges inherent for serving customers and staying afloat financially vary depending on the industry they're in. Ed Sharpe Jr. and Dawn Sharpe took ownership of Sharpe's Store last fall. Ed, the grandson of the store's founder, Jack Sharpe, still has a day job as an engineer while his wife, Dawn, left a full-time job as the Town of Portugal Cove-St. Philip's recreation director to commit herself fully to the business.
“2020 came upon us full-force with snowmageddon and again now with the COVID-19,” she said. “We got pushed into the deep end pretty quickly.”
Double whammy
Sharpe's Store has full-service gas pumps and carries a variety of food items. The business was considered an essential service during the local state of emergency in January. There were challenges at times with keeping food stocked, but Dawn said its suppliers were really good.
“Central Dairies came in for us whenever they possibly could and gave us what they could, because of course they were selective in what they could allow for all the different stores,” she said. “We were very lucky as well with (Atlantic Grocery Distributors) that they stayed supplying the best they could. And we have a local farmer, Stoney Ridge Farm, that provides their local eggs to us, which went as fast as he could bring them up ... They also had fresh chickens, which we still have in the store. They became a popular item.”
Now into a new challenge with COVID-19, Sharpe's Store has brought back a service from decades ago — home deliveries.
“When this started coming about, Ed kind of jokingly was like, 'Well, I guess we might have to go back to deliveries again,'” Dawn said, noting Ed's father and grandfather both used to make local deliveries for the store.
Dawn ultimately thought it was a good idea, and now the store is offering deliveries to families that need the service throughout the community and in some parts of Paradise. The response has been so strong they're considering making the service a permanent addition to the business.
“They call in their orders, and within 24 hours, we will deliver to the houses free of charge,” she said.
This post is not to highlight what we have done but to show gratitude to the person who actually made my heart full today. We dropped the groceries on the step and the family was thoughtful enough to leave a thank you! This is why I love my community! pic.twitter.com/6Sx87Vl9sH
— SharpesStore (@SharpesStore) March 28, 2020
Curbside option
The store has also offered curbside pickup. Customers can call and place an order before they come and make the payment once they arrive with debit or credit without leaving their vehicle. The option of paying without leaving a vehicle also suits the store's full-service gas pumps.
“If you come, you don't have to get out of your car anyway. We pump your gas, and the gas attendants are doing a great job of asking the people who come, 'Do you need anything else in the store?' And then they'll come in and get whatever and bring it out to those people getting gas.”
Dawn hopes the community's residents will continue to support the business during a very uncertain time for the economy as a whole.
“With our economy becoming what it is due to the COVID-19 and us wanting to keep small businesses alive, you really need to consider where you're going to make your purchases,” she said. “I know that a lot small businesses are doing what they can to keep their prices low and to change what they have in the store as their stock ... Whatever people ask for, if we don't have it, we go get it. That's the way that it's been now.”
Back in Labrador, Canning hopes to be open within the next two weeks if all goes according to plan, making sure all the necessary precautions are taken to protect the safety of customers and staff. She expects to start off with curbside pickup and later offer delivery to hungry customers.
“It's a crappy time in the world, but it's also a service that's needed locally right now,” Canning said, later adding it seems other food establishments in Happy Valley-Goose Bay have been busy during the pandemic.
“There's not a whole lot here, but the ones that are here are doing really well and are pretty busy ... I just need to get this over with. I'm so tired of waiting.”
Twitter: @CBNAndrew
