Long-time Liebig Street retailer Lea Watson has weathered various financial storms in her 40 years in business but says COVID-19 has been the toughest.
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Her experience is shared by many in the region which has prompted WDEA Works to launch a social media campaign to encourage residents to shop locally.
'Spend if you can' was the brainchild of WDEA's Warrnambool business development officer Angela Hewett.
She said she felt fortunate to receive a regular wage at a time when so many people weren't and wanted to encourage those who could afford it to help boost local businesses.
Ms Hewett's first purchase as part of the campaign was from Pitstop Menswear, where she gained her first full-time job alongside owners Lea and Peter Watson.
Mrs Watson said the past 18 months had been their toughest. "We have seen a lot of ups and downs and comings and goings but this is the worst, and different, and we don't know what to do. It's totally out of our power," she said.
The small family business had "seen it all" and COVID-19 and its subsequent lockdowns were worse than the 1990s recession and Pyramid Building Society collapse, she said.
Tens of thousands of dollars worth of winter stock is "hanging here that's now going to be redundant" because the summer stock soon arrives.
Without events and functions such as weddings and debutante balls, their suits and after-five clothing sits idle.
"I had a customer come in and he said 'I'd love to buy a shirt, but I've got two that are unworn'. He's a real shirt person and buys one a month but he's got nowhere to go. He's an older guy and goes to dances but there's none to go to. It's hard."
The latest four-day lockdown was the first time they couldn't pay their three team members, with the continued uncertainty affecting their bottom line.
"The moment you open and get a bit of momentum they shut you down again," Mrs Watson said.
"It's a simple fact. The weddings were coming and then we were smacked again. We're out of lockdown but Melbourne's still in lockdown. We still can't get stock and people aren't allowed to travel, they may as well close us."
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Mrs Watson said she felt for all other business owners and the newer ones starting out. She said everyone needed to work together and support each other.
"Like it takes a community to raise a child, it takes a community to raise a business. We've got to have that community base again," Mrs Watson said.
Ms Hewett encouraged people to snap a photo of themselves with their latest local purchase and share it on social media using the hashtag #spendifyoucan.
"Behind these businesses are good, generous, hardworking people and I'm driven and passionate about seeing them supported and thriving," she said.
Ms Hewett said she "found some good excuses to go shopping for loved ones - to tell them that I loved them, to acknowledge that lockdowns were tough, to purchase an early Christmas present or to spoil my children with board games".
She said businesses were key to our success.
"I wanted to spend with the businesses who support our communities, who give people opportunities to grow and build on their potential with employment, establishing career paths and future journeys," she said.
"I felt it was time I went out there and thanked them - when they needed it most. By spending. Because thankfully, I can."
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