With local and national authorities calling for self-quarantining and social-distancing, many local businesses have taken a financial hit as patrons limit their time spent outside the house.

But some businesses are now providing an exceptionally sought after product and are staying afloat a bit better than expected.

Over the past weekend, Chapel Hill bookstore Flyleaf Books saw an uptick in sales as locals rushed in to stock up on entertainment for themselves and their families.

Jamie Fiocco is the Owner and General Manager of Flyleaf. She said there are two different genres of books that have been flying of their shelves in wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

“One, people are wanting to read more science fiction and apocalyptic type fiction and other folks are wanting more escapist, pleasant, calming narratives,” Fiocco said.

Fiocco said the unexpectedly high foot traffic made for a really hard, but necessary, decision when it came to closing the shop.

“We just didn’t have enough folks comfortable to interact with the public and we also felt that it was our job to practice social distancing,” Fiocco said. “As much as it would cut off our revenue flow, we thought it was the right thing to do.”

With their normal operations suspended, Flyleaf Books has gone strictly to online and phone orders, as well as offering curbside pick-up and $1 delivery for orders. Fiocco said they are doing whatever it takes to help people get their books and keep the independent bookstore going.

And while Fiocco said Flyleaf’s level of business is now drastically different, their new model is fairly successful with online orders coming in as quickly as they can fill them.

But even with the current support from the community, Fiocco said Flyleaf’s revenue is still greatly reduced. This has forced them to make changes to their budgeting, forecasting and staffing to be able to stay open and sell books for as long as they can.

“Through the weekend it [business] was quite high – it was higher than a normal weekend – but then as soon as we decided to shut down obviously we had less business,” Fiocco said. “The response and the business we have been able to garner through online and phone orders, right now it’s been enough to sustain us.”

In an attempt to offset the negative impact of changing their normal operations, Flyleaf has taken to their social media, reaching out to around 6,000 followers on Twitter, to let the public know they are still open for business.

“Social media is, and has been, our big focus and has been very successful for us and we’re very grateful for people who have been sharing it,” Fiocco said.

But not everyone has been so lucky. After Governor Cooper issued an executive order Tuesday, causing a slew of bars and restaurants to close their doors indefinitely, many businesses are already struggling to stay afloat.

In light of this, Fiocco said supporting local businesses now is more important than ever.

“I’ve always believed firmly that people vote which business survive in their community by how they spend their money and that’s always been the case but it’s especially true now,” Fiocco said. “There are bars and restaurants that have been shuttered and my heart goes out to those business owners because they’re friends and colleagues and I’m their patron,”

Fiocco said it’s imperative for people to understand that they get to create the community they live in by how and where they spend their money.

“If they are at home, if they can buy a gift certificate from a bookstore or any other shop they would normally go to, we are so, so appreciative,” Fiocco said. “Bookstore are part of the local fabric of our community, so are the restaurants and bars, and if you want us to be around after this is all through you need to think about how you can try and support them.”

(Photo courtesy of Geoff Green)