COVID-19: Which businesses have closed, moved online and what’s next for Manly
A business owner in Manly has posted a heartbreaking message on Facebook after having to close up because of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the number of shops up for lease in the suburb grow.
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A Manly business owner who was forced to shut their food outlet because of COVID-19 has written a heartbreaking message on their Facebook site.
It comes as the number of businesses closing in the tourist suburb continues to grow, although northern beaches commercial real estate agents say they have been signing new tenants too.
Some of the businesses that have shut include burger outlet BunBar in Darley Rd, which opened just weeks before the coronavirus devastated the hospitality industry.
Gary Linz, behind the venture, confirmed to the Manly Daily that the business shut because of COVID-19.
Another victim of the virus and another relatively new business, Peanut Butter Love in Market La, announced it was closing on Facebook and wrote a poignant message to customers reminiscing about 2019 when people lived a “sheltered and happy life”.
“Don’t we all wish we were back in 2019, before the fires, when we lived quite a sheltered and happy life here in Manly,” Jasmin Bedir, director of the company, wrote.
“We have packed up and closed today — there is not enough takeaway volume for us to stay open as we’re still so new.”
Ms Bedir, of Fairlight, said the organic, vegan dessert business, had a small, but loyal following, but having opened in August was too new to weather the storm.
“This business is dead, it is what it is,” she said.
“We are part of the first wave of fragile businesses to go.
“The second wave will see more.
“It’s literally who can hold on the longest.”
Luke Atkins, who heads up the Chamber of Commerce in Manly, said the loss of any business is hard.
“It’s tragic how big an impact this has had on small businesses, particularly those new into their life cycle,” he said.
“No-one wants to see business closing because of an unexpected disaster on this scale and we hope locals will continue to support Manly’s businesses and to do it directly where possible.
“They need your help more than ever.”
Other operators who have shut their Manly stores include the Hot Dog Man and Time for Tea Break both on the Corso.
Bambino in Sydney Rd is operating online, but has shut its shop.
Ora in Whistler St has shut its cafe and now just has the one venue The Cook Room, on the oceanfront.
Tahkio, a Japanese tapas venue in Central Ave, has announced it has permanently closed on its Facebook site.
Attempts were made to contact these traders.
Meanwhile, Budgy Smuggler has just re-signed its lease for its Darley Rd property after shutting its doors four weeks ago.
General manager Brenden Hartmann said the pandemic came at the same time their lease was up for renewal.
He said they have now done a deal with the landlord who has agreed to reduce the rent until business is back to “normal”.
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He said they had considered operating online only, but previous research has shown that in their case people want to visit a shop.
“We have turned our store into more of a destination than a shop,” Mr Hartmann said.
“A lot of tourists want to come to our store. It’s a thing to do in Manly.”
He said giving customers more of an experience will be one way retailers can try and get people back into their stores.
Budgy Smuggler will be reopening the store on May 15.
James Willing of Belle property, said while a number of businesses are struggling, there was still a lot of demand for retail property in Manly and he had already signed a new tenant for Peanut Butter Love’s former property in Market La.
“We’ve got a lot of people, a lot of enquiries for retail,” he said.
“There are tenants looking to do business.
“There are all these people ready to go and they want to get going.”
He said landlords that were willing and financially able to do deals at this time will be able to secure tenants.
Patrick Kelleher from Pine Property said COVID-19 was “quite an opportunity for some”.
He said there was probably an increase in retail units up for lease but there was no data available and it “wasn’t that bad”.
“For every person who is struggling there’s another person who has a new concept and is seeing this moment as an opportunity,” he said.
He has just signed a new tenant for a hospitality venture in Whistler St and has terms agreed for another food operator at the Cured site in Market La.