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COVID-19 vaccine brings new hope to struggling business owners

Experts say more vaccinated people out and about means more customers for businesses. More customers means a new demand for jobs.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The COVID-19 vaccine is bringing hopes of health and wealth this holiday season, as many believe it will be good for businesses.

“This is going to be a gamechanger for our business,” said Mary Jane Culhane-Crowley, one of the owners of Culhane’s Irish Pub. “I’ve been dreaming of this and it can’t come any sooner than 2021.”

Crowley is convinced the vaccine will slowly bring more customers back into her pub. Workforce development expert Dr. J.R. LaRock said Crowley may be right.

“Business owners and workers should feel more confident than ever before that we will finally be getting through this,” LaRock said.

LaRock, CEO of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), said more vaccinated people out and about means more customers for businesses like Culhane’s Irish Pub. More customers mean a new demand for jobs

“I think they will find opportunities on the rebound, customers of the rebound, economic resources and spending on the rebound,” LaRock said.

After closing for a few months, Culhane’s could only recover 70% of its staff, but Crowley said they are expecting many new employees, not just for the pub, but their new 5 Sisters Vodka company.

“We want to hire some ambassadors to help us launch it locally,” Crowley said. “We really have a big hiring plan for 2021.”

LaRock says this hope for a comeback is bringing tenacity to a lot of businesses.

“People have held on for so long,” LaRock said. “They’ve been entrepreneurial, they’ve been scrappy.”

“New year, we want to be back 100%,” Crowley said. “We have a huge space at Southside and we’re barely at 50% occupancy.”

LaRock hopes that drive to survive will bring bright futures ahead when 2021 comes to a end.

“With the emergence of the vaccine, a light is finally at the end of the tunnel,” LaRock said.

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