Thousands of small businesses around the nation have closed their doors because of the mandatory stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus.
One of those businesses is Blue Iris Boutique, a shop that was nestled in the University of Memphis campus area. Now, the local fashion business is closing its doors for good. The owner, Breeze Blankenship, spoke with Robyn Walensky on “Wake Up Memphis” about her business’s downfall during the pandemic.“I rely solely on the college campus,” she said.
When the University of Memphis closed down in late March and never opened back up, Blankenship said that her business came to a halt. She added that “My market was gone.”
“I just knew I couldn’t make it till the fall,” she said, “and then the uncertainty if this comes back in the fall, what am I gonna do? It’s really hard for me to accept, but I just have to close.”
As a mother of three, she said that her next chapter is staying at home with her children, for now. When the plans for schools in the fall are released and events begin again, she hopes to host some pop-up shops with her remaining inventory.Thanks to the Democrat’s airtight lockdowns, when everything settles, many beloved local businesses will be gone forever.
To follow Blue Iris Boutique for their future endeavors, follow them @shopblueiris on Facebook and @blueirisboutique on Instagram.
