An Auckland business thrives, while another keeps doors closed in a 'dire' 100 days of lockdown

Wednesday, 24 November 2021

Auckland on a busy day versus Auckland in lockdown - some businesses have thrived during lockdown, while others have died.

For the past 100 days, Auckland's businesses have been doing it tough.

Some have been able to open, while others have kept the doors closed and will continue to, until the country moves to the traffic light system on December 3.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces that the country will move to the new Covid-19 Protection Framework, also known as the traffic light system, from 11:59pm on Thursday, December 2.

But in Onehunga, Pasifika-inspired sweet treats have been flying out the door for the last three months, in what Sweet and Me owner Elizabeth Koroivulaono is calling its most “kindest” lockdown yet.

“This one in particular has been a lot kinder to us,” she says.

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Two level 4 lockdowns and closed borders have hit downtown Auckland and Queen St hard, and there is presently no strategy to revitalise the downtown economy.(Video September 2021)

The cakery adapted the way it works and was able to operate throughout the entire lockdown, doing click and collect in alert level 3, and contactless deliveries in alert level 4.

“Our delivery service was something we were working on but hadn’t fully implemented,” she says.

But she managed to get it up and running quickly, and her team of six staff members would bake to order and drop orders off the same day.

Koroivulaono has been making cakes and sweet treats for the last three-and-a-half years, but only opened her shop two years ago.

Sweet and Me, a Pasifika-inspired cakery in Auckland has thrived during alert level 3 and 4.

She now has a team of six, and a loyal customer base which increased during lockdown.

Although she said the last 100 days had been enjoyable, “it hadn't been easy”.

The business broke even during this time, at a time when it was just trying to stay afloat.

“As we’re three years in, to us that’s a win,’ she says.

“During this time, we weren't trying to make a huge profit, we were just trying to stay afloat and cater to our customers.”

But on the other side of the region in central Auckland, Vivace Restaurant hasn't opened its doors since August.

“We’re right in the heart of the CBD, which is probably the least desirable place to be right now, short of an ED Covid ward,” co-owner Manday Lusk says.

Vivace restaurant lost 80 per cent of its bookings post-red light. Co-owner Mandy Lusk feels scared going into this year and says she’s never seen the city this quiet.

The last 100 days for the business had been dire, she said.

“We’ve had no income at all, which is pretty awful.”

There are three MIQ facilities within 500 metres of the restaurant, and the surrounding apartments and offices that were once thriving are now empty or being used for social housing.

Lusk opted not to offer takeaway meals during lockdown, because last year the business ended up running at a loss.

Some of her staff members live in tiny, central city apartments, and they’re now struggling with severe mental health issues, she says.

Others had simply given up on living in Auckland, and moved to other regions.

'We’ve got a mix of staff who have visas tied to us, so these guys are scared if it keeps going on, and we fail, what will happen to them.”

They’re all living off the Government’s wage subsidy payments, but it barely covers rent, so Lusk says the business has been borrowing money to pay staff.

And although a move to the traffic light system in December will be a small reprieve, it might not be enough, because January and February are quiet months in central Auckland.

“We're doing every single thing we can to still be there.”