Iron Range Businesses Deal With Coronavirus Impacts

Small businesses on the Iron Range are seeing a more direct hit because a lot of mining activity has also shut down. 

IRON RANGE, Minn. – The impact of the coronavirus pandemic continues to hit the state of Minnesota in different ways, including on the Iron Range.

“It really means a lot. We just thank them so much for coming in,” co-owner of the Sunrise Deli Mary Forti said.

As local businesses continue to adapt to the challenges the coronavirus pandemic has caused, employees at Sunrise Deli in Hibbing realized early how important it was to their customers to stay open.

“I talked to all of the employees and said are you afraid to be here and two of them were kind of afraid for different reasons, but the rest of them wanted to stay. But then I’d go home at night and thinking what if something happens, someone gets really sick. So I come to work the next day thinking we’re going to have to close, and some customers say thank you for being open,” Forti said.

Sunrise Deli sells things like dry noodles, grab and go items, and now offers curbside pickup.

“We were able to stay open and I think it’s helped us to do that. Things are going a little better because people are coming for the curbside or the takeout,” Forti added.

And small businesses on the Iron Range like the Sunrise Deli are seeing a more direct hit because a lot of mining activity has also shut down.

“Hibbing Taconite was a customers of ours too so we did a lot with them and that’s going to stop so that will impact business,” Forti said.

Over at the Natural Harvest Food Co-op in Virginia, workers are doing what they can to make shopping safe.

“We’ve been focusing on keeping the shelves stocked with good, healthy food and keeping our staff and customers safe as best as we possibly can,” Natural Harvest Food Co-op marketing director Briana Sterle said.

And while customers are still coming in, the co-op has noticed a difference in shopping patterns.

“A lot of our shoppers frequent regularly, multiple times a week, and they come in for socializing and their food. But now we’re seeing them take less trips per week. They’re coming in once a week and stocking up with cartloads of stuff,” Sterle said.

While the challenges will continue to pop up, these businesses are doing what they can to keep customers happy.

“They’re still smiling and coming in and getting the food they need and we’re happy to see them,” Sterle said.