GREENSBORO, N.C. — In the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit Downtown Greensboro.
"In fine dining… it was a bear. You know it was scary, we weren’t sure if we were gonna make it through and we really kind of had to dig in and be very creative," said Undercurrent co-owner Wes Wheeler.
“That was a just kind of survive year, you know?" Steve Mitchell, co-owner of Scuppernong Books, said.
Now? What was once carryout and open streets, Downtown Greensboro has started to bounce back and for downtown businesses like Undercurrent and Scuppernong Books, that change brought a sigh of relief.
“When we were looking at those numbers, it was a great feeling If I can be completely honest with you. You know, you’re coming from where you were before all of this started and to see that you can reach higher heights, it’s a good feeling," said Wheeler.
But they’re not just getting back to pre-pandemic numbers. In 2022, it was a record setting year for both businesses, only two years after the intial "Stay-At-Home" order.
These numbers make sense as DGI has reported that, despite a recognizable dip in 2020, downtown Greensboro, as a whole, had their highest number of visitors ever in 2022 at 1.6 million and they’re on track to do equal if not better numbers for 2023.
“We’ve just really seen consistent numbers, as far as business is concerned for lunch and for dinner. I can’t speak for 100% what the reason is, but I would probably think that’s it’s the last couple of years coupled with what we have going on in downtown and how vibrant it’s become," said Wheeler.
Whatever the reasons are, it’s clear that Downtown Greensboro has not only gotten back on its feet – it’s eclipsed where it once was pre-pandemic.
“During the pandemic and afterwards, people have begun to appreciate local businesses more and realize that they need to support local business in order to keep them there," adds Mitchell.