The City of Charlotte has launched the Open for Business initiative to connect residents with local small businesses who are able to operate during the pandemic. The public dashboard and application create a comprehensive and accessible avenue for residents to easily locate open businesses while safely observing the Mecklenburg County Stay at Home order.
“We heard directly from the small business community that visibility today is critical to surviving this pandemic,“ said Assistant City Manager Tracy Dodson. “Small business owners are finding creative ways to continue to serve their customers during this time, and we want to elevate their presence however we can.”
The Open for Business dashboard is available on the city’s small business resources webpage, Charlotte Open Data Portal, and the CLT+ mobile app.
How It Works:
The dashboard displays each small business’ location along with important information regarding their current operating hours, special offers, and delivery options.
Customers can use filters to easily search the type of business or specific location to quickly identify the best local small business to support.
Business owners are encouraged to add their businesses’ listing to the ever-growing dashboard by filling out a short application to join the 300+ local businesses listed at this time. Those who have temporarily closed their business due to the coronavirus outbreak can also submit their business listing to be added once the Stay at Home Order has been lifted.
Businesses that are added to the dashboard are also given the official “Open for Business” logo to display within their physical location, on their website, or official social media channels. This will allow potential customers to quickly see if a business is open for business.
It will also serve as a reminder of our collective, unwavering support for the Queen City’s small business community.
Open for Business Campaigns Ahead
The dashboard is the initial part of the city’s Open for Business initiative, which will support small business owners throughout the Queen City during the pandemic. Mayor Vi Lyles and the Economic Development Department will also be hosting a mentorship webinar series in the coming weeks. This campaign will connect local business to important city resources for additional support.
The first meeting of the series was held on Wednesday, April 29th. Panelists included Levi Kinnard of the Small Business Administration, Ralphine Caldwell of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and Natalie Williams of the Women’s Business Center of Charlotte.
Future installments of the series will be announced in the coming weeks.
If you have additional questions regarding the Open for Business dashboard, contact the city directly. For more information on local, state, federal, and partner resources, visit the city of Charlotte’s small business resource page or CharlotteBusinessResource.com for the most up-to-date information.
Safely support local small businesses today!
Image provided by the City of Charlotte.
