The now rapid spread of coronavirus across the United States and the threat of more shutdowns is leaving small businesses on edge.
With no assurance that Congress will provide more stimulus soon, many business owners wonder how much longer they can hang on.
Melanie Lichtfeld is the fourth-generation owner of Lichtfeld Plumbing, a family-run plumbing service in Madison, Wisconsin. The company first opened in 1895, but Lichtfeld worries this year might be its last unless one of two things happens: The local economy starts functioning more normally or lawmakers get money into people’s hands quickly.
Melanie Lichtfeld, who owns Lichtfeld Plumbing in Madison, Wisconsin, wonders how long she can carry customers who can’t pay due to the downturn.