Local businesses still struggling despite the end-of-year rush

The holiday season is huge for local businesses - but was it enough to keep them afloat during a pandemic year?

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The holiday season typically brings enough revenue to local businesses to help them manage the notoriously slow months – January, February, and March.

But in a pandemic year, local businesses say this year’s end-of-the-year boost may not be enough.

“We had a little bit of an uptick to get us down the road maybe a month or so but unfortunately we know what’s coming in the next couple of months,” says Cheyenne Hemphill, owner of Husker Headquarters. “It’s just not good for retail and the team not doing well has affected our business big time.”

Stores like Husker Headquarters are mostly dependent on the Husker football season, like many other businesses in downtown Lincoln. But between the pandemic and a painful football season, the store has been down about 90% in sales for the last 7-10 months.

In December, the store’s 56th and Highway 2 location saw a 30% increase in sales, but that’s still down 60% from a normal year. The downtown location has been mostly vacant, Hemphill says.

In November, the store’s location at Gateway Mall was forced to close. The possibility of cutting store hours or even closing the downtown storefront still lingers.

Thinking about closing permanently isn’t easy.

“It’s heartbreaking, I really try not to think about it. You know you put 20 years of your life into something its kind of a big deal to have it go away with a lot of it being out of your control, it’s just tough to handle,” Hemphill says.

Hemphill also says the lack of relief from the government is frustrating. He believes more could have been done to pinpoint struggling businesses and individuals. The local Chamber of Commerce could have done more to provide advice, aid, and help businesses in the area.

But he also knows his survival is dependent on shoppers.

“A lot of small businesses you’re going to see going under there’s a big transfer of wealth to a lot of the big corporations cause I’ve seen their parking lots full, and so it wasn’t all about the pandemic it was about just making choices to shop local instead of going to the big box stores all the time but…that’s the people’s choice.”

So far, the new year isn’t looking as bright as many believe it to be.

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through in my life.”

Hemphill is hoping Husker volleyball and basketball will help the store make enough sales until the football team’s spring game, where they see their money-making months start back up. However, if the spring game is cancelled again this year, Hemphill fears he will be out of luck.