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In an Associated Press article last week, it was reported how box stores like Walmart, Target and Lowes are seeing surges in sales during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That’s fine for these stores backed by massive companies, but it overshadows the small businesses that continue to scrape and rely on loans and grants to get by in an increasingly uncertain future.

While it’s considered good news that there is some kind of success in such times, it shouldn’t go unsaid that these businesses have multi-million dollar structures behind them, lending a certain level of cushion.

The box stores have the infrastructure, even with hours that have been cut back, to continue being open with a large employee base keeping everything going.

These are cushions small businesses don’t have. Oftentimes, small businesses have staffs between 10-15 people, which can be slimmed even more if that business is struggling to make ends meet.

Grants and loans will only cover so much for so long. These businesses quite literally depend on us to shop at them whenever possible. This isn’t about simply being successful anymore, it’s about helping fellow community members survive.

Sadly, some of these businesses may not survive, but we owe it to them to do what we can to help them put up the biggest fight possible.

Please support and shop local. If Albert Lea is to come out of this pandemic with strength, it is going to need all the help it can get.