Chris Tafoya may have skipped an entire season of providing locals and tourists their morning pickup but what better season than fall, for a comeback when it comes to selling hot beverages. "Old Town looks normal on weekends believe it or not. Parking is hard to find, it's encouraging for us," said Tafoya.
His tiny shop, The American House, nestled in the historic district has been closed for nearly half a year and survived thanks to online sales. "We tried to do curbside for bulk items, and online helped us out."
He's now ready to pivot from virtual communication, back to in-person. "We're doing kind of a like a walk-by. They walk through the front, order through an old fashioned window, and grab their drink. If they want to buy bulk, they just walk in," Tofoya described.
They'll start slow and open on weekends but will extend hours if needed, "If business picks up, we're ready to go."
While online sales helped during their store closure, they also had to file unemployment. "We're hopeful obviously. We're reopening, and a lot of businesses didn't reopen."
