Business stays open by offering to take 'Date Night Crafts' home

Cape Coral business has to close shop because of Coronavirus, comes up with new idea

THE OTHER CONCERN IS IT MAY NOTWORK... OR AMY HAVE UNINTENDEDSIDE EFFECTS.HERE AT FOX 4, WE KNOW SMALLBUSINESS OWNERS ARE UNDER A LOTOF PRESSURE RIGHT NOW.THEY’RE HAVING TO INNOVATE ANDDO THINGS DIFFERENTLY, TOSURVIVE.WE WANT TO SUPPORT THEM WITH ANEW SERIES OF STORIES, CALLED"WE’RE OPEN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA."THIS MORNING... WE WANT TOHIGHLIGHT A BUSINESS THAT’SBRINGING DATE NIGHT HOME.35-42IN A ROOM THAT’S USUALLY FILLEDWITH THE SOUND OF LAUGHTERAND TOOLS MAKING SOMETHIMEMORABLENOW, THE SILENCE...SCREAMS OUT ASENSE OF UNCERTAINTY.<SOTLORI VAN RASSEL, ARWORKSHOP"Like any other small business,we’re trying to be creativeSOTLORI VAN RASSEL, AR WORKSHOP"Until we can get back up andrunning when this blows over."THIS IS NOT WHERE LORI VANRASSEL THOUGHT SHE’D BE SIXMONTHS AGO.SHE HAD JUST LEFT A CORPORATEJOB, TO OPEN HER OWNBUSINESS...’AR WORKSHOP’ IN CAPECORAIT’S A D-I-Y BOUTIQUEWHEREGROUPS OF PEOPLE COME TO BUILDHOME DECOR, FROM RAW MATERIALS.SOTLORI VAN RASSEL, AR WORKSHOP"We do bachelorette parties, wedo birthday parties, we do teambuilding, corporate events.

Datenight.

Date night is a big nightfor us."UNFORTUNATELY, CORONAVIRUSCANCELLED DATE NIGHT, AND JUSTABOUT EVERY OTHER GROUPACTIVITYAND VAN RASSEL NEEDED SOMETHINGTO BLOCK IT FROM PUTTING APERMANENT STAIN ON HER BUSINESSOTLORI VAN RASSEL, AR WORKSHOP"We have a unique item that wecan offer peopleSO SHE CAME UP WITH A UNIQUEIDEA, FOR THIS UNIQUE TIME.-nat of building-INSTEAD OF HAVING PEOPLE COME INTO BUILDVAN RASSEL CLOSED HERSHOPAND MADE KITS, THATCUSTOMERS CAN PICK UP AND TAKEHOME.AND THIS IS IMPORTANTSHE SAYSSHE PRICED THEM, SO JUST ABOUTANYBODY CAN DO IT.WHEN YOU GO TO A-R WORKSHOP DOCOMYOU START BY CHOOSING APACKAGETHE LEAST EXPENSIVE ITHREE SIGNS FOR 25 BUCKS.NEXT YOU CHOOSE A DESIGNALL OFTHEM ARE KID FRIENDLYAND THEN YOU DECIDE A PAINTCOLOR.SOTLORI VAN RASSEL, AR WORKSHOP"We know that families right noware having a difficult timebeing quarantined and staying athome and trying to find thingsto do, so we wanted to give themsomething fun to do together asa family and to have somethingthey can keep and remember."SHE’S ADAPTING HER BUSINESSANDSHE TELLS ME, SHE WILL HAVE TOKEEP INNOVATING TO MAKE SURE ITSURVIVES.BUT SHE ALSO KNOWS SHE’S NOTALONESO MANY OTHER SMALLBUSINESS OWNERS ARE HAVING TO BECREATIVE RIGHT NOW TOO.SOTLORI VAN RASSEL, AR WORKSHOP"Reach out to your other smallbusiness owners and see what youcan do for them.

See if there’sany collaboration you cantogether, to try to get usthrough this difficult time."SOTLORI VAN RASSEL, AR WORKSHOP"There’s a lot of businessesthat are probably not going tomake it and that’s a sad thito say and we want to try tohelp each other.

Just remember,you’re not alone."