Small businesses struggle to keep up | Morning Newsletter
And ‘mundane moments of joy in the world’
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
It’s a mostly cloudy Sunday with a high of 50, and a shower or two may pop up.
During this critical stretch before Christmas, a bump in sales can make a big difference for small businesses. But many owners say they aren’t pulling in profits like they had hoped over the holiday season. Our lead story looks at how small businesses in and around Philadelphia are faring.
— Paola Pérez (@pdesiperez, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Sara Villari, owner of three Occasionette gift shops in the region, tries hard to stay optimistic.
Her business is doing well enough, and even growing into new locations. But sales have been flat relative to 2022, and things haven’t been bustling as usual.
“I kept reading reports that fourth quarter was going to make it all worth it,” Villari said. “It’s great compared to the rest of the year, but it wasn’t as great as we expected it to be.”
Less than expected: Nationwide, more than 75% of small-business owners say they haven’t seen an increase in sales so far this holiday shopping season. Philadelphia-area shop owners say they also feel lukewarm about how their shops have performed so far, and some worry about how long they will be able to survive.
Different factors: There’s little consensus — and some conflicting perspectives — on why holiday sales have been lackluster. Some shops struggle to reach online shoppers, while something as simple as rainy weekends could have an impact on potential customers.
Keep reading to hear from local shop owners on why they think there’s a slump in sales, and why 2024 could be a “make or break” year.
You may have heard of the deli or bookshop cat. If you encounter one, or wonder where to find them, there’s an app to track that.
ShopCats encourages users to help map employed (and beloved) kitties in a given city. People take photos and leave comments about their personalities and experiences.
For example, Dr. Abraham Horatio Pickles (pictured above) at the Book Trader in Old City is a “laid-back and unbothered” orange tabby. He likes straws, hide-and-seek, and taking glamour shots for his Instagram.
ShopCats was created by David Martin, who began locating cats as a love quest. He promised his then-girlfriend (now wife) that “he would find all the cats in the world for her.”
Since its launch in July 2022, the app has tracked more than 10,000 cats across dozens of cities, from Tokyo and New York City to Amsterdam and Philly.
Notable quote: “My motivation is to create more mundane moments of joy in the world,” said Martin, a Seattle-based software engineer. “The moment when you meet an animal for the first time is delightful, so I just wanted to create more of those moments at scale around the world.”
Meet four of ShopCats’ most-scratched and beloved working cats in Philly.
What you should know today
Philadelphia health officials announced a possible measles exposure at a Center City building with Jefferson Health offices.
Two protesters were arrested at a pro-Palestinian march in Philly during the Christmas shopping rush.
Nearly 240 nurses in two Prime Healthcare hospitals began a five-day strike Friday, the first time in more than three years that nurses in the region have walked out of work.
The lead investigator at the 6abc helicopter crash site said nothing has been found so far indicating why Chopper 6 went down Tuesday night in Burlington County, killing the pilot and a photographer. The investigation is expected to last 18 months.
The number of people employed in Philly is back to pre-pandemic levels, but many are still not going into offices.
Gov. Josh Shapiro plans to continue accepting perks like tickets to sporting events from a nonprofit that receives state money despite concerns he may be violating his own gift ban.
A Philadelphia man was charged last week with taking more than $2.5 million from customers in 36 states for vehicles equipped for users with disabilities or mobility issues, but failing to deliver those vehicles.
The Eagles were fined $100,000 by the NFL for the incident involving Dom DiSandro that got their chief security officer removed from the sideline for the remainder of the regular season, league sources told The Inquirer.
From street cleaning to new jobs, outgoing Mayor Jim Kenney made plenty of campaign promises long ago. See how he actually fared in accomplishing some of his notable policy goals.
❓Pop quiz
White Christmas is hardly even a dream this year for us and much of the nation. But if it did snow, you’d have six hours to clear the sidewalks in front of your home before facing potential fines.
What’s the maximum penalty?
A) $50
B) $100
C) $300
D) $500
Think you got it? Check your answer here.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: With a corncob pipe and a button nose, and two eyes made out of coal
FARMS HONESTY TOWN
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Dan Tureck who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Bartram’s Garden.
Photo of the day
🎶 Today’s Sunday track goes like this: “Here, we’ve only got one rule / Never ever let it cool / Keep it cookin’ in the pot / Soon, ya got hot chocolate.” 🎶
👋🏽 Thanks for starting your day with me. This newsletter will take a break over the holidays, and will return to your inbox Wednesday. Until then, stay warm and take care.
