Businesses remain open in Bay City’s City Market

By Jordan Green

BAY CITY – The usual hustle and bustle of the City Market has gone quiet as most small business vendors were shut down amidst the stay-at-home order. 

Out of the 20 local businesses that reside in City Market, four of them remain open to serve the community: That Guy’s BBQ and Grill, That Guy’s Meats, Downtown House of Pizza (DHOP) and GCC Organics – an organic animal product company.

City Market is only allowing five customers at a time inside the building to pick up call-ahead orders from the restaurants. To browse the meat counters, you can check in at City Market’s front door to enter the building. Market manager Becky Hortop says hand sanitizer and social distancing guidelines of six feet have been put in place.

Each business is individually owned and rents out a space to sell their products. With a temporary closure, some businesses could be hit hard financially, with mounting bills and paying staff. 

“We’re part of the Small Business Association of Michigan and they’ve been providing information to us to help the small business owners in regards to looking for the grants and the loans that are available at this time,” says Hortop.

‘That Guy’ is helping out 

That Guy’s BBQ and Grill and That Guy’s Meats – along with owner Greg Buzzard – are stepping up to the challenge and feeding local essential and frontline employees who are continuing their work despite the coronavirus pandemic. 

They’re donating meals to local pharmacies, first responders, hospitals, doctor offices and nursing homes. Buzzard says he and his wife drop the food off themselves and have provided more than 500 meals. 

“Me and my wife decided if this thing was gonna take us out of business, we were gonna bless as many people on the way out as we did coming in,” says Buzzard.

Buzzard also owns Replenish, a smoothie, juice and frozen yogurt bar in City Market. Replenish was temporarily closed as of Thursday, March 26 after sales plummeted from the take-out only restrictions and the loss of needed foot traffic within City Market to support the small businesses. 

Despite business being slow, the community is doing its job in supporting small business.

“The community is really stepping up and helping at least cover payroll and stuff like that,” says Buzzard about That Guy’s BBQ and Grill and That Guy’s Meats. “I mean, we’re not making enough to pay all our bills, but I’m able to keep a couple of my full time people still working. That’s important to me, because unfortunately I had to lay off at least two or three people already.”

‘Bay City Strong’

Through Facebook, Buzzard is sharing another campaign – to keep local businesses afloat during the pandemic – called Bay City Strong.

Branching off the idea from the Runners Athletic Company in Bay City, Shirts, Mugs and More – an Essexville based T-shirt company – is selling Bay City Strong apparel and teaming up with local businesses to give them $13 for every shirt sold. 

The goal is to reach 1,500 Bay City Strong T-shirts to donate over $14,000 to local businesses. The sales are at 1,130 as of Saturday, April 11, with less than two weeks left to order.