
With the pandemic dismantling our lives and toppling our worlds over, people have found new ways of surviving and getting through each day. As challenging as it might be, the new normal has slowly become a part of our lives, and we are continually attempting to wrap our heads around the events of the last year while making peace with the new challenges of the new year.
Like every other part of the world, South Florida watched its business plummet and forced several industries integral to its economy to shut down for an indefinite period.
One of the worst struck of them all was the hospitality industry. Dining rooms and bars shut down and sent the economy in a continuous downward spiral. Things started looking bleak, and the only way for businesses, especially the small ones, to survive was to change the way they functioned.
As we make our way through another year of the pandemic, let us look at some of the ways South Florida’s businesses changed their dynamics in an attempt to stay afloat.
Meat and Poultry Sales Showed a Meteoric Rise
The meat and poultry market sales in Broward County witnessed a rise and nearly doubled. It went from $2.1 million in the months of April and May of 2019 to $4 million in 2020. There was a 93.2 percent rise in the sales- a figure that cannot be brushed under the rug. Analysts suggest that the rise resulted from price inflation in beef and a few meat processing plants’ subsequent shutdowns. Reputed supermarket chains even put a cap on how many packages of meat their consumers could purchase.
Specialty stores stepped into the scene right at this juncture and used their social media handles to inform people about the availability of a wide variety of meat and poultry at their stores. This led to people fanatically stockpiling on meat and poultry, which, therefore, contributed to a massive increase in this sector’s sales.
Online Gaming Flourished
The online gaming industry in South Florida flourished as people started turning to online gaming and gambling sites like Slotsformoney.com/casinos/blackjack/ to break the redundancy of the lockdown.
Even as we enter the second year of the pandemic, the trend remains the same as most people continue to work from their homes. This, however, is true for every other part of the world as well.
Businesses shifted online to stay afloat and reach out to their target group. Streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime became the first choices of entertainment and continue to be so. Studies also show that people spent more time on sites like Facebook and YouTube.
Skilled Crafts Thrived in Palm Beach County
Reports show that sales increased in a number of categories of home and business services. Items such as cabinets, fixtures, doors made out of several types of metals, and molding started being sold at an increasing rate. If statistics are to be believed, this sector saw a 29.1 percent increase as the sales went from $16 million to $20 million.
Therefore, besides the online gaming industry, the skilled crafts industry flourished and continues to do so even in the second year of the pandemic. South Florida’s economy also raised significant revenue from electrical, plumbing, drilling and installation of pipes. There was an 18.4 percent increase in 2020, as the sales went from $5.6 million to $6.6 million. Paint, wallpaper, and hardware dealers also witnessed a 6.1 percent rise in sales, equivalent to a decent increase from $32.6 million to $34.6 million.
The pandemic slowed and shut down several industries and not just in South Florida but all over the world. However, amidst all the hullabaloo, South Florida has also managed to keep its economy from gyrating towards a bottomless pit with the help of excellent decision-making skills and an awareness of the current scenario.
Sectors that no one hoped to perform well stole the show and contributed to the economy. Now, as more businesses have started opening up and things are looking up once again, it is important to remind ourselves of the days that we left behind and celebrate the sectors that did well, even in the most grueling times.
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