El Paso Standard

This year has been tough on small business everywhere but a recent study points out how important the 2020 holiday season will be for El Paso.

Almost 29% of small businesses in El Paso that were open at the beginning of 2020 have closed temporarily or permanently as of Nov. 25, according to Opportunity Insights Economic Tracker, an ongoing study to track the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic's economic impacts on people, businesses, and communities across the nation.

About 33% of leisure and hospitality businesses in El Paso have closed, as have more than 22% of shops in El Paso's retail and transportation sector.

David Burnett, a second-year masters student in music performance at the University of Michigan, during his shopping stop at Literarity Book Shop in October | facebook.com/LiterarityBooks/

Ivy League universities Harvard and Brown and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are behind the real-time study that was developed by DarkHorse Analytics.

It has been a challenging year for small businesses in El Paso. In October, the El Paso Christmas Light Show announced this year's show was canceled "due to safety concerns caused by the COVID-19 virus." Sunland Park Mall recently offered advice for dealing with holiday stress peculiar to 2020.

"As we have experienced throughout this year, we are entering another 'first' for many families as the winter holiday season approaches," Sunland Park Mall said in a Facebook post last week. "We've talked about how to rethink the holidays for changing or adopting new family traditions. But what about managing the stress of the holiday season, which for many of us, is heightened this year due to COVID-19."

A particular stress for El Paso area small business is whether they will survive 2020, Bill Clark, co-owner of the Literarity Book Shop on North Mesa, recently told the El Paso Herald-Post.

“The holiday period can be a very key time for a lot of businesses, particularly retail," Clark said in a Dec. 8 El Paso Herald-Post news story. "And if they don’t have a good holiday season, a lot of businesses just aren’t going to be able to stay open after the holidays."

Many shops in El Paso, including AnnieMo's Holiday Shop on McCutcheon Lane, have been offering special deals to get shoppers out. AnnieMo's recently advertised on the shop's Facebook page Black Friday specials after Thanksgiving and 40% off holiday ribbon.

A "safe and socially distanced" Santa arrived at Cielo Vista Mall on Monday, a buy-one-get-one-free sale at Torrid at The Outlet Shoppes at El Paso also was announced Monday. Apple n' Gifts on Vista del Sold Drive announced last week that it is back.

"We missed you all terribly this year at the Junior League Christmas Fair," Apple n' Gifts said in a Facebook post. "COVID really took a toll on many of us.  After many ups and downs we are finally doing well physically and emotionally and are ready to serve you. Our kitchen is completely sanitized and we are back at work."