Alexandria is Growing Even Stronger

The year 2020 will undoubtedly leave an impact for years to come. And as the world faces uncertainty about what the future will hold, the one piece of silver lining in all of this is that our community will be stronger than ever before. Alexandria has always had a robust sense of community but since the pandemic hit, it has noticeably grown even stronger.The Scout Guide began over a decade ago, with a simple goal to support small businesses by helping to tell their story, and by creating a connection between the owners and members of the community. Right now, our local business owners are working harder than ever to survive, rapidly adapting to current needs and guidelines in an effort to continue to serve their customers, retain their employees, and keep their dreams alive.Unfortunately, many of our small businesses have temporarily closed their doors but it has been incredible to see these business owners dig deep to find new ways to serve their community. Whether it has been taking their businesses virtual, offering carry-out meals, curbside pickup from our boutiques, or finding ways to help our healthcare workers and community members in need. Alexandria has stepped up in a big way and it shows.The level of kindness we have seen in the last few months has been exponential. The outpour of people asking what they can do to help has been incredible and is sincerely helping these businesses get by. The support that the community has shown has not and will not go unnoticed. Even if you can only support these businesses by spreading the word about them on social media, or ordering dinner from them one night, a little goes a long way to these hard-working individuals.  Staying connected is more important than ever and social media has never been so impactful for small and large businesses alike. It is now the lifeline of many companies around the world and it has been incredibly inspiring to see our local businesses use social media to collaborate and work together.The boutique boxes have been a huge hit in the community and is a collaboration between The Shoe Hive, Bishop Boutique, and Bellacara. We hope these gift boxes continue even after we get back to normal business, they make the most thoughtful gifts! The virtual workout classes have been wildly popular and keeping many of us sane during this time. I see many of these studios offering virtual classes even beyond the pandemic. We’ve also been loving the offering of margaritas and wine to-go. We hope this is something that continues as well!Despite all the negative going on in the news, we do have a lot to look forward to. Like the opening of our businesses (which seems like this could happen soon!!), Mother’s Day (even if it’s celebrated over Zoom) and warm weather to come. We look forward to the day when we are all able to stroll down our beautiful streets, visit with friends, and enjoy all of our favorite businesses in person again! Until then, virtual hugs to all and we will be here to support our small businesses in any way we can.