COVID-19 economic and business impact in KC

One local business shares how it is adjusting to life during the coronavirus pandemic.

METRO BUSINESSES....BIGAND SMALL... ARE FEELINGTHE IMPACT OF COVID-19.AND THOSE STRUGGLESCOULD IMPACTGOVERNMENT REVENUESAS WELL.41 ACTION NEWSINVESTIGATOR ANDYALCOCK JOINS US FROMTHE NEWSROOM WITH ACLOSER LOOK.WE TALKED WITH TOWNER OF LITERALLY AMOM AND POP CLOTHINGSTORE AND ALSO THEPRESIDENT AND CHIEFOPERATING OFFICER OFONE OF THE CRITICALLYIMPORTANT RETAIL GIANTSIN OUR COMMUNITY.THERE WERE NOCUSTOMERS WHEN WESTOPPED BY AT THEMISSION FRESH FASHIONSTORE ON JOHNSONDRIVE...A BUSINESS RUNBY BECKY HANF AND HERHUSBAND FOR 22 YEARS.BECKY HANF/MISSION FRESHFASHION OWNER"WE'VE HAD A LOT OFPEOPLE THAT WE KNOWBY NAME.

HAD A COUPLECOME BY THIS MORNINGLOOKING IN THE WINDOWWAVING AT US SO I MEANIT'S DIFFICULT."WITH NO ONLIPRESENCE, BECKY SAYSSHE'LL NOW RESORT TOUSING FACEBOOK TO LETHER LOYAL CUSTOMERSKNOW WHEN NEW ITEMSARRIVE IN THE STORE.BECKY HANF/MISSION FRESHFASHION OWNER"I JUST WISH EVERYONESTAYS HEALTHY, STAYSWELL.

SUPPORT YOURSMALL BUSINESS IF YOUCAN."BY CONTRAST, NEBRASKAFURNITURE MART DOESHAVE AN ONLINE BUSINESSAND IT'S GROWING.COMPANY LEADERS, EVENTHOUGH THE STORE ISDEEMED AN ESSENTIALBUSINESS, HAVE DECIDEDON THEIR OWN TO SHUTDOWN THEIR SHOWROOMAS OF FRIDAY AND GOEXCLUSIVELY WITH ON-LINE SALES.THE ONLY OTHER TIME IT'SHAPPENED IN THECOMPANY'S MORE THAN 80YEAR HISTORY WAS 45YEARS AFTER A TORNADOIN OMAHA.TONY BOLDT"WE HAVE NO IDEA HOWLONG THIS IS GOING TOLAST.

THIS IS AN EVERCHANGING THING THAT ISREALLY ONE OF THE FIRSTIN MODERN DAY HISTORY."STATE AND UNIFIEDGOVERNMENT ANNUALRECORDS SHOWNEBRASKA FURNITUREMART IS CRITICALLYIMPORTANT TO FINANCINGTHE ENTIRE LEGENDS ANDVILLAGE WEST AREA.ACCORDING TO BUDGETYEAR 2019 FIGURESNEBRASKA FURNITUREMART ACCOUNTED FOR $MILLION DOLLARS IN SALESTAXES TO HELP PAY BACKKCK'S SALES TAX REVENUEOR STAR BONDS USED TODEVELOP THE AREA.THAT FIGURE REPRESENTSMORE THAN 75 PERCENTOF SALES TAX REVENUESGENERATED IN THE STARBOND AREA..TONY"I'M SURE THAT THEYCOUNT ON OUR SALESREVENUE TO HELP PAYTAXES IN THECOMMUNITY."FOR BECKY AND HERHUSBAND, THEIR SMALLSTORE IS THEIR ENTIRELIVELIHOOD.BECK"WHEN WE SHUT DOWN, ITJUST KIND OF GETS SCARYFOR OUR HOUSEHOLDHOW WE'RE GOING TOMAKE IT THROUGH THIS,BUT WE WILL."FOR BECKY AND HERHUSBAND, THEY ONLYHAVE THEMSELVES ASEMPLOYEES.BY CONTRAST NEBRASKAFURNITURE MARTEMPLOYS 5-THOUSANDPEOPLE AT ITS FOURSTORES.PRESIDENT AND C-O-OTONY BOLDT TELLS USTHOSE EMPLOYEES WILLBE PAID IN FULL NOMATTER WHAT FOR ATLEAST THE NEXT 30 DAYS.I'M