How Local Leimert Park Businesses are Surviving During the Pandemic

Storefronts in Leimert Park Village. Photo by Mica Thomas.

Small businesses in Leimert Park have been faced with adjusting to the dynamic of our new reality since the start of the pandemic. Constant changes regarding business operations due to COVID-19 have made the use of technology a vital element for the survival of many businesses. While some storefronts heavily rely on in person shopping and offer an immersive experience for customers that cannot be virtually supplemented, other businesses have seen much success since adopting the use of digital sales.

I will approach my reporting by interviewing local business owners and surveying their adoption of technology since the start of the pandemic. My goal is to produce a project which accurately depicts the experience business owners in Leimert Park have had during the pandemic.

While Leimert Park and surrounding neighborhoods are home to a predominantly African American demographic, gentrification has begun to pose a threat to the cultural richness of the community. Understanding how these businesses have managed to survive through the pandemic may also provide insight on how they can survive the changes gentrification is bringing. In my reporting, I will focus on racial demographics since many of the businesses in the community are Black-owned.

Most of the news coverage on Leimert Park is now centered around the increase on the price of real estate in the area as a result of gentrification. Though gentrification is an important issue which deserves the coverage it receives, I believe that businesses in the area should also be reported on. Considering how closely-knit this community is, being aware of the experiences local business owners have had since the pandemic is important and can also offer an opportunity on how they can be further supported. This will also give audiences from other communities insight on the businesses in Leimert Park and what makes them unique.

Questions I will pose for my project:

1. How has your business adopted virtual sales since the start of the pandemic?
2. Have you seen more success since adopting virtual sales?
3. If your business has not adopted virtual sales, how have you kept business alive?

I have learned that the approach to my project would work better if it was focused on the experience business owners have had since COVID-19. I am hopeful that this angle will provide a more insightful look at how the change in operation has affected local businesses.

I will use audio as the primary format for my project. I look forward to being able to build this story through the voices of the business owners themselves. I also plan to add photos as an element to further illustrate the distinctive nature of this community and the importance of its progression and preservation.