Mainebiz

V O L . X X V I N O. X I M AY 1 8 , 2 0 2 0 30 S M A L L B U S I N E S S Making the slow pivot Ramona's, at 98 Washington Ave. in Portland, was set to open March 25. It was the latest venture for Chad Conley, owner of Rose's Market and the Palace Diner, and Josh Sobel. e small sandwich shop could've made the quick pivot to curbside pickup, but as the reality of what the pandemic might bring became clear the weekend of March 14, they decided not to open. It was a hard decision, but the owners felt a responsibility to their staff, and the community, to not expose them to the virus. "We were sad we were losing the opportunity to open on our own terms," he says. "We wanted to introduce Ramona's on our terms, not the virus's terms. We were proud of what we'd done, we'd put a lot of care into it." As the shutdown took hold, he saw a lot of res- taurants struggling with pickup, juggling timing of orders, customers arriving in bunches. After taking some time to think about it, Ramona's owners devised a limited pickup plan, where customers order in advance and are given a pickup time, with a limited number of slots. It's working well, but it's not sustainable. "You can't sell 100 sandwiches a week and pay the rent," he says. Just as they were slow to open with a pickup plan, they'll be slow to reopen. e dining area is too small to distance well, he says. "It might be takeout only, limited hours." Despite the challenges, Conley feels fortunate. "Everyone knows the restaurant industry is getting hit » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E We are here for you. Building an Economy that Works for Everyone From Wicked Fast working capital loans to business advice and policy advocacy, CEI is here to help Maine's small businesses. 207.504.5900 www.ceimaine.org You care about your employees. THE PROBLEM Financial matters cause more stress amongst employees than anything else in their lives. Increased stress means decreased productivity. THE SOLUTION A financial wellness program which includes individual financial coaching. It's a high-value benefit for a very low per-employee cost. THE RESULT Increased focus, loyalty, trust, dedication, productivity. Here's an easy way to improve their well-being allison@allisonbishop.com allisonbishop.com Contact Allison Bishop for a free consultation to see what a financial wellness program might look like for your company. F O C U S P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Chad Conley Chad Conley, left, and , left, and Josh Sobel Josh Sobel, , co-owners of co-owners of Ramona's Ramona's, which was , which was scheduled to open in Portland on scheduled to open in Portland on March 25. The pandemic changed March 25. The pandemic changed their plans, and the owners have their plans, and the owners have pivoted to curbside pickup. pivoted to curbside pickup.

• Cover