COVID-19 has not stopped some local businesses from thriving

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville business owner Devan Torrence says all things considered her business couldn’t be better this holiday season.

“I’m really thankful for the community of Starkville this season because they have kept our business alive you know they’ve kept us,” said Devan Torrence.

Torrence runs Pupscouts Camp and Bakery. Her company began as a pet watching service but she says it evolved as COVID-19 spread through the area.

“At the beginning of the pandemic, we lost a lot of clients and a lot of business because people were canceling their vacations and that’s our number one service, people weren’t traveling so we had to get creative with how we could still keep our business alive,” said Torrence.

What began as a way to care for pets has expanded into a full business offering treats and pet toys.

The owner says they are grateful to the Starkville Community for shopping locally and are now looking to pay it forward.

Next year Pupscouts will begin a partnership with the community disaster relief organization O-Serve.

“They work really with getting people a place to stay and getting shelter and getting food. We’re going to come in at the angle to make sure their pet is staying with them and provide them with food try to get a hotel that is pet friendly that sort of thing,” said Torrence.

Pupscouts isn’t the only business thriving during the pandemic. In Columbus, Jordan Gill, the owner of Cobalts Boutique says business is great in her shop.

“I will say we did Facebook live sales and we were still able to serve our customers through our website,” said Gill.

Gill says the boutique was already online when people started staying home and shopping from their tablets and phones.

“We’ll thankfully we were online prior to opening our storefront and prior to covid so that definitely helps us transition during the pandemic,” said Gill.

Being flexible and finding a way to adapt for these small businesses means lots of new and returning customers.