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COVID-19 has changed how business is done. Crowded offices, restaurants and bars are now a no-go, crippling their ability to generate revenue. However, with some creativity, some businesses have managed to turn an excellent profit during COVID-19, despite the strict regulations. Here are some examples.

The Corner Grocery

While many businesses were hit hard by both the pandemic as well as hurricanes last year, The Corner Grocery, a grocery store in Loreauville, managed to not only survive but thrive, according to The Corner Grocery Co-owner Mandi Guillotte Pooler.

Guillotte Pooler also said one of the keys to The Corner Grocery’s success during the coronavirus pandemic was offering curbside grocery pickup.

She also said she felt that listening and responding to customer feedback has helped contribute to the store’s success as well, although she added that many other businesses have likely been doing this as well with varying levels of success.

Guillotte Pooler said another of the biggest contributors to her success in 2020 was the store’s private generator that allowed The Corner Grocery to operate during the hurricanes last year.

“So we were able to continue running and be open for the community, while most of the other places were closed,” she said. “That was really a great way to serve our community and great for business as well.”

However, the store initially faced some intimidating challenges at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We needed some different sources. For the first couple weeks, we couldn’t get bread, our bread supplier couldn’t supply enough bread,” she said. “So we just kind of had to jump right in and see what we weren’t able to get and find other ways to make those things happen.”

Blast A Bin

You probably don’t think about your outdoor trash bin so much. You just drop garbage in it before trash day and leave it at that.

But do you ever think about all the bacteria that gets left behind? Since COVID-19, a lot more people have, despite the fact that COVID-19 is a virus and not a bacterium, and it’s made Jacob Badeaux and Bronwyn Badeaux’s business Blast A Bin more profitable than ever.

“Everyone’s freaking out about bacteria now,” Jacob Badeaux said. “They weren’t scared of bacteria so much back then.”

The Badeauxs are in the business of cleaning trash bins, which, according to Jacob Badeaux, often contain over 300 different types of bacteria.

Jacob and Bronwyn Badeaux started the business roughly a year and a half ago. Jacob Badeaux got the idea for Blast A Bin after he grew tired of cleaning out his own trash bin and found out that trash bin cleaning was a growing industry.

“I got started because my wife always had me cleaning the trash cans with a water hose, and all that nasty stuff was getting in the yard, all over my clothes, and I was getting tired of it,” he said. “So I did some research and I found that they actually have trash cleaning services.”

Tapped Ba-you

Going out to bars like we used to might be an impossibility during a pandemic, but that doesn’t mean the bar can’t be brought to you. And that’s just what Courtney Broussard did with her business,Tapped Ba-you.

Tapped Ba-you provides its customers with a pop-up trailer that comes with much of what you need for an authentic bar experience from any spot with enough flat land to fit the trailer.

There are two packages. The $300 package includes six taps, a 32-inch flat screen TV, recessed lighting, a detached whitewash bar with steel top, two chalkboards, dispensing gas, general and liquor liability insurance, and an extension cord for power. The $100 package comes with three taps, dispensing gas and an extension cord, according to the Tapped Ba-you website.

Bartenders cost $60 an hour, but hosts can hire their own bartender if they wish. Hosts must also purchase their own alcohol, due to Louisiana drinking laws, according to the Tapped Ba-you website.

Tapped Ba-you came to be during the pandemic, as it was a perfect opportunity to launch such a business model, especially when traditional bars were either shut down or extremely limited.

“We are evolving and people do want to socialize,” she said. “You don’t have to go to the bar. It can come to you. You could set it up and then everyone can socialize on their own terms.”

Early in the pandemic, Broussard was hesitant to promote the business, as it seemed like the target audience would be looking for large gatherings, which were not possible given the situation with the pandemic. However, Broussard was able to find her niche catering smaller events, such as birthday parties, bridal showers and book clubs, with the proper social distancing requirements in place.

“It was really just little, small at home gatherings,” she said. “They just wanted to get together with their book club and socially distance and have a little cocktail.”

Conclusion

While many businesses are struggling at the moment, these three businesses are thriving by meeting the demands of New Iberians during this pandemic. We should all take a moment to thank these businesses that have helped our economy during these trying times, and what better way to support your local community than by shopping local, which Guillotte Pooler said she believes is key to a strong community during COVID-19.

“I would encourage people to shop local. I think it’s important for us to support all of our local businesses during this time. Because they are all struggling to make ends meet, and those are the people that are there for you in the hard times,” Guillotte Pooler said.