Be Local: Businesses provide special offerings for Mother’s Day
Courtesy of J&D Winery
J&D Winery has Mother’s Day gift baskets to help mom enjoy her special day.
Courtesy of J&D Winery
J&D Winery has Mother’s Day slushies to help mom enjoy her special day.
Editor’s note: This is a weekly series focusing on the importance of buying local.
This Mother’s Day is going to be a strange one.
Traditional brunches, dinners and outings with mom are not an option as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s also challenging for local small businesses. What is usually a big day for local restaurants, florists, crafters and boutique stores has been impacted by shelter at home rules that have caused several of them to close.
But local businesses are innovating to meet these unprecedented times, and to celebrate mom on her special day.
Jeff Kotula, president of Washington County Chamber of Commerce, said shopping locally this Mother’s Day “is a great opportunity to not only thank the wonderful mothers in Washington County, but also support our small businesses that are facing difficult times.”
Taking mom out for brunch or dinner is not likely to happen this Mother’s Day, but many of your favorite restaurants are offering pickup or delivery service. If you have a favorite restaurant or meal in mind, you may want to check in with them in advance to see if they have special delivery or timing requirements specific to Mother’s Day weekend.
Bella Sera is offering an upscale Mother’s Day meal featuring chicken piccata, jumbo crab cakes and boneless beef short ribs.
The family-sized dinner will be available for pickup Saturday and is designed to be heated and served Sunday.
“You can’t come to Bella Sera for Mother’s Day this year, so we decided on the best alternative: you can bring Bella Sera home,” said chef Jason Capps. “You can give mom the break she deserves, and honor her for the hard work she’s done over the past couple of months.”
Other small shops, such as florists and specialty stores, are offering pick-up or curbside service for their goods. The chamber recommends calling or visiting the website of your favorite store to see if they offer those services.
J&D Winery is offering Mother’s Day gift sets and gift baskets, including foodie baskets and skin care baskets and chocolate covered wine bottles.
Customers can visit the winery’s Facebook page and Instagram stories, and then text the store at 724-579-9897 for delivery or curbside pickup through Sunday. Additionally, the winery is offering $5 16-ounce wine slushies and $8 24-ounce wine slushies Friday through Sunday.
“We are so grateful and so thankful for all the community members who have been supporting us right now,” said manager Holly McIntosh. “We don’t take any of their support for granted. This has pushed us to become more adaptable and better in our business.”
Mother’s Day is typically a busy day for florists, and Harold Smith, owner of L&M Florists in Canonsburg said his flower shop has been “busier than I anticipated, so that’s a good thing.”
“Everyone wants to make sure mom’s happy, and since so many people can’t see their moms this year, they want to make sure she knows she’s in their thoughts,” said Smith.
The shop offers contactless delivery and contactless curbside pickup. Smith suggested placing orders for floral arrangements as early as possible.
Also, consider purchasing gift cards from small businesses so that mom can use them when stores re-open.
Kotula also suggests residents share their favorite local restaurant’s menu or store’s products on their social media pages.
“This will increase your favorite businesses’ customer base through promotion and show mom that she taught you right by shopping local,” Kotula said.
Those interested in joining the Be Local Network can contact Chris Slota at 724-225-1326 or by email at chris@belocal.net. Discount cards are available at the Observer-Reporter and Almanac office, 122 S. Main St., Washington.