City of Hamilton providing new opportunities for small businesses during tough year

The city of Hamilton is thinking outside the box to provide new opportunities for local small businesses to do more than get by in the midst of a holiday season heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

, "I think it's a little abovewhat we expected.

We didn'tknow what toexpect."NEW AT 11 - IS A PUSHFOR SHOPPING LOCAL ENOUGH FORSMALL BUSINESSES?THE PANDEMICHAS FORCED SOME owners TOCLOSE THEIR DOORS AROUND THETRI-STATE.BUT FOR SOME INHAMILTON -- THINKING OUTSIDETHE BOX HAS PROVIDED NEWOPPORTUNITIES..WCPO 9 NEWS REPORTER JAKE RYLEEXPLAINS THE UNIQUE WAYSthey're DOING MORE THAN JUSTGETTING BY."For months business ownershave been touting two wordsshop local.

Now, during theholiday season, we're catchingup with two of them to findout if it's working."IF 2020..WERE A SCENTEDCANDLE.."I want to say burn babyburn."SHERRY HOSKINS..

OWNEROF HAMILTON'S PETALS ANDWICKS.., "I'd say bourbon.

Morebourbon."SHE KNOWS..TOO.."It's been scary.

It's beenscary times."BUT BUSINESS OVERTHE PAST TWO MONTHS..

HASREVIVED THEFLAME.., "I think it's a little abovewhat we expected.

We didn'tknow what to expect.

We had noclue.

Every single day isdifferent.

Every month isdifferent.

Every holiday isdifferent now.

The way peoplebuy now is different.Everything is different."THEYTRANSITIONED TO E-COMMERCE..AND CURBSIDEPICKUP..(NAT POP)TWO STORES DOWN..ANDYOU'LL FINDKAYLEN.., "These dinner dusts arereally great,"ALONG WITH PETWANTS HAMILTON STORE OWNERRACHEL STEINMAN..THEY'LL ADMITIT'S BEEN A TOUGHYEAR.."We'd see business go up anddown, up and down.

Modifiedour business hours."STEINMANALSO SAYS..

THIS YEAR HASBROUGHT ITS OWNCHALLENGES.."The neat thing aboutHamilton is when there's sometype of adverse challenge outthere.

They stand up and saynot today.

Not in ourneighborhood.

It's nothappening.

They've seen usthrough this time."SHE SAYSTHE CITY..

AND CHAMBER..

HAVEBEEN PROACTIVE WITH DOWNTOWNPROGRAMMING.., "I have such an incrediblefeeling of gratitude for ourcommunity for coming out andbeing with us.

Loving on us.Making us be successful.THESEBUSINESS OWNERS KNOW..

EVERYSALE COUNTS..

TO GETTING THEMCLOSER TO2021., " We're grateful for alltheir support throughout thisentire year.

We are."INHAMILTON..JAKE RYLE, WCPO 9NEWS.