COLORADO SPRINGS — The odds were against most businesses in 2020.
"It was just a real sad time, a sad time in world history," said Perry Sanders, Owner of the Mining Exchange and Antlers Hotel.
Despite the pandemic, retailers in downtown Colorado Springs made it through.
The Downtown Partnership released its annual State of Downtown report last week which showed some decline, but a lot of progress.
According to the report, in 2020 there were 21 new store fronts in downtown, including Clay Venues.
"We opened this kind of mid-pandemic, we were open last year and had a couple events, called them COVID events," said Becky Nuttall, Owner of Clay Venues.
The Downtown Partnership says they weren't surprised when calculating all of last year's numbers, especially with restaurants.
Overall, restaurants and bars experienced a 35% decrease in sale, however because of relief funds and recovery, most businesses no longer need to dig themselves out.
"It looks like things really have a chance to go on the upswing as soon as we stay trajectory of keeping COVID under control," said Sanders.
Most recently, the partnership compared growth sales in February of last year, which was pre-pandemic, to this February.
This year's numbers ended up being above last!
"We are seeing people really starting to make plans for the future!" said Sanders.
You can read the entire State of Downtown report by clicking here.
If you have an idea for a future Rebound Colorado story email rebound@koaa.com.
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