While local small businesses are shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, some are figuring out unique ways to keep in touch with customers. One coffee shop in Fairfax County, Virginia, is trying to stay productive while mixing in a little entertainment as well. “We’re developing some online classes now on how to brew a great cup of coffee at home,” said Michael Amouri, owner of Caffe Amouri in Vienna. “Even if we don’t make any money off them, we want to make quick little videos or real-time classes for our customers just to break up their day.” Amouri has also been selling coffee beans online and delivering bags of coffee straight to customers. “We’re trying to find ways to stay engaged,” he said. “This whole ordeal has been really emotional and stressful.” Closing a business cannot be easy for anyone, but it is a particularly foreign concept for Amouri. His coffee shop has been at its location for 10 years, and he has never once closed his doors, not even for blizzards.

The only time Amouri shuts down is for Christmas. “We were even open during the derecho without power,” Amouri said, referring to the intense line of storms that hit the D.C. region back in 2012. “We were boiling water on a camp stove and giving away cups of coffee.” But the coronavirus pandemic changed all that, forcing Amouri and so many others to close their doors to help limit the spread of the virus. In the meantime, employees are making repairs and working to spruce up the shop. “We’re painting and doing everything we can so when we open our doors back up, it’ll be sparkling like new,” Amouri said.

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