The Tamesis
Today, things are no longer business as usual across the United States. While Friday is considered one of the busiest and most profitable shopping days of the week, shops across the country are closing on the day as part of the national lockdown.
The nationwide strike demonstrated dissent against ICE and corresponded with demonstrations in many cities. Typically, such actions are industry-specific (see the 2023 Screen Actors Guild and American Television Trade Association (SAG-AFTRA) strike, which lasted 118 days and delayed Hollywood productions for years, and the current New York nurses strike that began on January 12 and is still ongoing), but today’s nationwide strike is the first general strike since the 2020 Strike for Black Lives.
Participating businesses learned about the strike in a variety of ways: Lily Kaizer and Kate Corcoran, the team behind bicoastal vintage store Happy Isles, learned about it through a video shared by Patti Harrison; Zulaikha Aziz, founder of fine jewelry brand Mazahri, saw calls to action from former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich and the University of Minnesota Somali Student Association; Albert Mendez, founder of the Austin-based Rocha concept store said it was a hot topic on the Paris market; many more simply cited people sharing their involvement in the strike on social media as their first indication of the strike’s potential.
“My feed is flooded with calls to action,” says Megan O’Neill, owner of Nyla, a fledgling shoe company. “As painful as Instagram can be, it’s incredible how it can spark a movement.”
Unsurprisingly, most of the brands taking part in the strikes – spanning industries such as restaurants and fitness studios, as well as the fashion industry – are small independent businesses. It occurred at a time when the economic situation was particularly severe and the vitality of small businesses dropped sharply. Overall, this is a huge risk for every brand.
For New York handbag and accessories designer Brandon Blackwood, the decision to close for the day had business implications. “We have postponed the Valentine’s Day launch, which is an important time of year for the brand,” the designer said. The decision included changing internal meetings, adjusting release calendars and liaising with warehouses to adjust inventory, packing stations and more. “From a logistics perspective, it’s manageable, but it does require intention and coordination between the team. Everyone understands why we’re doing this, which makes it easier.”
James Veloria co-founder Brandon Veloria Giordano said his immigrant mother was the inspiration for his decision to close. “She wanted to open her own small business, a hair salon, but was never able to do it in her short life,” he said. “I know there are countless other stories like my family’s, so it’s only right to show solidarity with our immigrant communities.”
Kathleen Sorbara, the owner of a Williamsburg store that bears her name, felt compelled to participate in the day after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. “My corporate DNA has always been aligned with my personal beliefs,” she said. “I think that’s the beauty of being a small business owner — I don’t have to report to the C-suite.” While Sorbara’s doors may be closed, she plans to pay her employees like a normal work day.
“It’s meaningful to see so many small businesses coming together in a unified way,” Mendez said, adding that he was excited when he heard the news in Paris. “I have been protected, supported, and cared for by the immigrant community my entire life, so we wholeheartedly condemn attacks against undocumented immigrants and U.S. citizens.”
