HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It is a tough time to be a small business owner with the current pandemic. Government officials at every level are looking for ways to jump-start the economy again. So how does it look in Hutchinson? Dan Naccarato, professor of business at Hutchinson Community College, says he sees the local business sector reviving quickly.
“I think most businesses are going to bounce back in a very short amount of time,” Naccarato said. “I think most businesses are going to come back strong.”
Naccarato says that, while he sees a positive outlook for the local business sector, some unfortunately won’t make it through the downturn in the economy.
“I was saddened that some businesses have decided that this is pretty much the end for their viability,” Naccarato said. “It’s always sad news when a business exits.”
Naccarato says the COVID-19 pandemic has come to the point of condensing a decade of depression into what he hopes is a short period of time.
“The way I view this entire thing is we have pretty much condensed the entire depression of the 1930s into what I hope will be six months or less,” Naccarato said. “I think we're going to bounce back strong.”
Naccarato says that consumers and businesses have certainly changed shopping patterns among consumers by increasing online shopping.
“That segment of the population moving to the online market place out of necessity have now discovered that you know this works OK,” Naccarato said.”
Naccarato says businesses like restaurants and activities like sporting events could look very different when they reopen as people remain skittish over social connection. He added that, unfortunately, one business element that he sees going away is something he teaches to every class: the simple basics of the handshake.