Senator Housley releases video of local businesses affected by shutdown order

A series of local businesses affected by Minnesota’s ‘stay-at-home’ order are speaking out in a video released on social media by Senator Karin Housley (R-St. Marys Point).

“We are seeing the devastating effects this shutdown order has had on many of our hometown small businesses – the same businesses we depend on to power our local economies. Many of them have applied for federal assistance but have yet to receive any funds. And as they so often do, businesses were already adapting to the ‘new normal’, making plans for how they could safely operate during this pandemic before they were ordered to shut down. If we do not begin the process of opening our state back up for business, there is a real chance some of these businesses may never open their doors again,” said Senator Karin Housley (R-St. Marys Point). “We should be proud of our successful efforts to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. But if we don’t begin to take proactive steps to begin to reopen our economy right now, it might be too late. We can do it slowly and we can do it safely, but it’s time to start reopening Minnesota’s economy.”

The video features comments from:

  • Dan Schwartz, CEO, Lift Bridge Brewing Company in Stillwater;
  • Bob Kaufman, co-owner of the Lumberyard Hockey and Sports Center in Stillwater;
  • Rian Thiele, co-owner of Pet Evolution in Woodbury and Arden Hills;
  • Tom Leonard, co-owner of Fury Motors in South St. Paul, Lake Elmo, and Stillwater;
  • Dariush Moslemi, owner of Studio One Yoga in Stillwater, White Bear Lake, and Roseville, and majority owner of The Velveteen Speakeasy in Stillwater;
  • Kelli Kaufer, co-owner of Smith + Trade Mercantile in Stillwater; and
  • Susan Kress, hair stylist at Zaczkowski’s Blue Belle Salon in Oak Park Heights.

The video can be found on Facebook, on Twitter, and on YouTube.

Senator Karin Housley, of St. Marys Point, represents the Forest Lake area and the St. Croix River Valley in the Minnesota Senate. Senator Housley is chairwoman of the Family Care and Aging Committee and is an assistant majority leader.