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Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce: Half of local businesses say they can't sustain more than 'a few months' of current trends

Fort Worth Chamber officials are urging people to support local businesses in several ways.

FORT WORTH, Texas — The leader of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce says surveys to its 1,700 members are showing some businesses are barely hanging on.

“They’re in a really, really tough place right now,” chamber president Brandom Gengelbach said.

While there have been layoffs and furloughs already, Gengelbach doesn’t expect any longtime businesses will close, although 49% of business owners said they wouldn’t be able to sustain their business longer than "a few months."

Restaurants, retail and the arts are hurting the most.

Dana Schultes leads Stage West, a performing arts theater in the city.

“We’re doing our best not to lay off any staff,” she said. “We’re just in a holding pattern, which is really hard for a non-profit arts organization.”

Acting classes are online and shows are postponed. Schultes says they’ve lost about 90% of their revenue. A poll by the chamber showed on average businesses lost 80% or more of their revenue within a week after coronavirus restrictions began, according to Gengelbach.

Gengelbach says some landlords have cut deals on rents, and the chamber is hosting classes and making calls on how businesses can take advantage of available aid.

“Talking to those individuals is almost like talking to someone at a funeral who’s lost a loved one,” he said. “Really what we’re doing is seeing how we can throw them a lifeline for the next 8 to 10 weeks.”

Across the city, the chamber says some manufacturers have seen boosts to business, but the success stories are relatively few.

The chamber is encouraging people to order takeout and delivery, buy gift cards or leave positive reviews for their favorite restaurants and retail shops.

For Schultes, there’s fear of what the future looks like afterward.  

“I wonder what people’s comfort level is going to be as far as coming back out after this is done not only gathering together, but also what their comfort point will be returning to buying tickets,” she said.

For 41 years, Stage West has brought art to the community. Now, like small businesses across the area, it’ll need the community to survive.

“It really comes down to how long this is going to last and what the bounce back is after it’s done,” Schultes said.

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