Some downtown Seattle companies wrestle to remain afloat as extra folks proceed working remotely

This week saw further announcements from Seattle companies of plans to keep employees working from home. Small businesses say it’s a challenge in the downtown area.

SEATTLE – Remote working is on the rise in Seattle. Due to COVID-19, more and more employees are choosing the home office model. The change is affecting small businesses in downtown Seattle.

Olga Sagan owns Piroshky Piroshky Bakery with locations in the city center where the business core has been fairly quiet.

“It definitely feels harder every day to go out and turn on the lights,” Sagan said.

Don Blakeney, Vice President of Advocacy and Economic Development for the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) said, “First and foremost, we must follow the advice of our public health officials.”

Blakeney said the priority appeared to have created serious challenges in the center of the city during the pandemic.

“We have nearly 100,000 residents downtown, which makes it a neighborhood,” Blakeney said.

What is missing, however, is the onslaught of workers.

Companies like Amazon offer eligible employees an opportunity to work from home until next year. Some King County employees will be able to telework until 2021. Google is extending the option to work from home until next summer.

Headquartered in Seattle, Zillow gives most employees the flexibility to work from home indefinitely, and says their teams have found creative ways to collaborate remotely.

About 72% of downtown jobs can be done this way, according to the DSA.

“The decisions that big employers make definitely affect the landscape for stationary businesses in their neighborhood – it’s an ecosystem. The impact of extensive remote working illustrates why it is critical to control the spread of the virus and why it is. ”It is important that local officials continue to focus on companies of all sizes and the jobs they offer to help recover during this difficult time, “said Alicia Teel, a spokeswoman for the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

According to the DSA, 47 businesses in the city center, including retail stores, restaurants and nightclubs, have announced permanent closings, citing the impact of COVID-19.

“It’s unfortunate that it’s very, very empty,” said Sagan.

DSA said what is important at the moment is the flexibility of the city government so that companies are able to act in new and different ways. Blakeney said a good example of this is the temporary, free street cafe permits the city of Seattle is offering during the pandemic.

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