At the height of the pandemic-related lockdowns in April, over half of the small businesses in the Empire State shut their doors.
While a significant proportion have since reopened, most are still struggling to keep their business running.
“Especially November and December are the biggest months of the year. Right now you are not doing any business. Nothing. Dead,” said Abhi, a small business owner in New York City.
Many factors are at play, making this time especially difficult.
While tourists are not flocking to the city this year, locals are mostly still steering clear—and many have transitioned to working from home.
Some businesses in other states have it worse.
Nearly half of small businesses in Washington, D.C., remain closed compared to January, along with over 40 percent in Alaska and almost 39 percent in New Mexico.
