WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Businesses that depend on vehicle traffic to increase sales are struggling.
Area convenience stores have seen as much as a 40% drop in revenue as fewer people travel and stay home as recommended by Gov. Kim Reynolds.
For over 40 years, the Valley West Corner Store in West Des Moines has been located right off the interstate.
But owner Chad Studenmaier hasn't seen a dip like this in years, dating all the way back to 2001.
"It’s kind of like 9/11 every day as far as that goes," Studenmaier said. "It's pretty devastating."
He says on average, sales are down roughly 50%. Some days better than others.
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A garage typically full of cars being repaired now sits empty, prompting Studenmaier to lay off three service technicians and one cashier. He has been busy applying for help in an effort to bring those employees back.
“The $10,000 grant they’ve talked about... we’ve applied for, and the Payroll Protection Act. So what it is, is the government is giving you money and if you bring those people back it's a forgivable loan," Studenmaier explains. "So that's what we’re hoping to do. Basically the government is paying to have those people to come back, be paid and if you do that it's forgivable. So it's giving business incentive to bring those employees back and get them off unemployment and keep things going and things like that.”
A third round of stimulus help for businesses like the corner store is in the works in Washington, but stalled Thursday night over how much money they want to pump into the economy.
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