By Vasilis Vasilas
While the number of COVID- 19 cases in Australia growing at the time, the impact of the Federal Government’s announcement of Stage 2 restrictions was sudden and quick as people’s everyday lives practically changed overnight. And the impact was none greater to small businesses in Sydney’s business networks.
As Greeks play such a significant role in Sydney’s hospitality industries, so many Greek-owned businesses, whether cafes, restaurants and clubs or all their suppliers, found themselves either shutting, struggling to remain open or quickly readjusting their business models to continue operating.
For Sydney historian, Vasilis Vasilas, who has been compiling oral histories and photographs on Sydney’s Greek businesses over the last few years, it was difficult to observe so many friends whose businesses were financially suffering and this prompted him to do something to help these businesses and consumers.
At a time when people were encouraged to stay at home and only shop for essential items, Vasilis used his Syndesmos Facebook page as a platform to launch the WEAREOPEN initiative where he visited Greek-owned businesses, took a photo of the business, wished the businesses owners to stay safe and posted the photograph and wish on his Syndesmos Facebook page.
“I just felt as though I wanted to help these businesses in some small way,” Vasilis explains.
“On my way home from work, I would take an alternate route, stop at the Greek businesses along the way- every day was a different route- and I witnessed first-hand the impact of the Stage 2 restrictions across so many Sydney’s small business landscape.
“With the WEAREOPEN initiative, I just wanted to raise awareness that there were so many small businesses still operating and we could still use their services and buy their products. Shop owners had taken precautionary measures such as social distancing or having hand sanitisers readily available. With the frenzy of panic buying in the major supermarkets, for example, I was reminding people the Greek delicatessens were well-stocked in items such as pasta, flour and sugar.”
Asked about what Vasilis encountered while visiting so many businesses and shops, the realities were quite stark as he recalls, “I visited so many business owners the worry and concern was on their faces. They were dealing with the domino effect of problems whether it be the loss of business, losing staff or mounting bills. The saddest part of all this was visiting businesses and finding them shut- with a sign of having to shut as a result of the COVID-19.
“After a few week, I suppose business owners had clearer idea of what is going on- though it has definitely had not made it any easier for them- but at least they could take whatever necessary steps were needed to keep operating.
Despite the sudden struggle of their business, I encountered so many business owners in high spirits and this is so inspiring to watch such people not giving into all the adversities; whether it was through changing their business models or coming up new ideas or ways of doing things, they have persevered and continued on.”
In almost one month, Vasilis has visited over 120 small businesses; asked about the responses on the Syndesmos Facebook page, Vasilis states, “Not only did the posts highlight which businesses were still operating but so many people responded to each post (of a business) with messages of encouragement and praise, and this just highlights the strong sense of support people have for our small businesses and their hope these businesses and our lives return to some normality.”
