Featured Covid-19 impact on antiques business

There will be some structural changes to society. Some folks working from home may find they like it and continue several days a week - less traffic, less gas, less office space, less clothes, less lunching out, etc. Our daughter has tele-commuted for at least 20 years. Loves working in her pjs.

Crime is down in Atlanta but will probably pick up once this is close to an end, especially slider crimes and similar.

Changes in the way medicine is done. More preparation for things like this. They seem to be happening more regularly and the world is closer together now. {How many people have stopped buying things that they know are produced in China?)

It will be interesting to see the changes. Even though I'm almost an antique, I'm not afraid. What is going to be, will be. Just be careful, wash hand and take care.

 

In my city, the downtown is mostly shuttered/closed up. Apparently there were a few incidents of looting on the weekend, I guess because there was no-one around. Not a trend or anything, but something to think about.

 

The renewable energy industries are asking for an extension on the deadline for tax credits for their projects which may be delayed by the current crisis. They are not asking for bailouts like the airlines. These are real American businesses, hiring real American people.

"The novel coronavirus pandemic and its resulting economic disruptions could delay U.S. wind and solar projects from being started or completed by the end of 2020, threatening their access to federal tax credits that are critical to their financing.....Specifically, the clean-energy sector is asking lawmakers to extend the deadline for federal tax credits for wind and solar projects from 2020 to 2021, and allow some tax credits to be made as direct payments to prevent the loss of investors' "tax appetite" from undermining project financing."
https://www.greentechmedia.com/arti...ay-provisions-in-coronavirus-stimulus-package

 

Quebec Government has mandated a 3 week shutdown of all non essential businesses starting Mar 24 at midnight.

Gov't weed stores & booze stores will be open at reduced hours......

( cuz here, they are scared shitless to shut those down.....)... & they'll need the funds to help pay for Covid related health stuff......

Have you noticed the air smells different where you live lately ???

 

It's always smelled like that in BC, so no, not noticed much difference

 

@2manybooks
ok understand the solar as you described it.

But explain:

Democrats’ version of the stimulus bill. A draft of the bill that circulated on Capitol Hill Monday laid out a host of conditions for any corporation seeking rescue loans, and replaced the GOP’s cash rebate plan with one that would offer more generous checks but to fewer Americans (MSN News)

proposes to amend the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act so that the CAMELS system adds an additional diversity category for the "Board of Governors, the Comptroller of the Currency, the Corporation, and the National Credit Union" to analyze.
Specifically, the new category looks at whether depository institutions have policies to "encourage diversity and inclusion" in hiring practices; whether they train employees on diversity and inclusion; and whether they have a "Diversity and Inclusion officer" who reports to the CEO.


Requiring same-day voter registration in all 50 states, a bailout of the U.S. Postal Service, establishing a $15-an-hour minimum wage, and emissions control on airlines.

None of this has anything to do with helping the everyday worker, the businesses that employ them or getting the economy back to work.

It has everything to do with trying to get what they haven't gotten to destroy America. They don't care about you or me.

 

I am sure Republicans are also using the crisis to push through some of their pet projects (or non-projects). And they are doing fine destroying America on their own.
But this is not the venue for politics.

 

Oh and as nice as the $15 an hour minimum wage sounds, it doesn't work. We have it here in CA. Hamburgers can now cost up to $18 in some restaurants.

Think about it. Busboys, waiters, dishwashers, costs go up so do the services, eventually putting the mom and pop diner down the street out of business. Happens here all the time.

 

Agree, I'll stop.
Sorry.

 

i luv it when the shoe's on the other foot...........

 

Politics aside, I observed something yesterday which might get us back to covid-19 impact on the antique business. In my state, stores are closed and only essential businesses are open. Only essential businesses means that those who are needed to pick up, sort and clean out estates aren't available - including thrift stores and auctions but really includes the whole estate handling chain. On the other hand trash pickup is still occurring as an essential service.

This means that those who need to clean out their estates or attics need to either wait it out until this is over, or else just throw it all in the dumpster. I believe more good stuff than usual will be getting trashed. Maybe this could be good for the antique business depending on how long it lasts - less stuff going on the market maybe helping raise prices a bit? Wishful thinking probably.

 

what about all the stuff already on the market....just sitting idle.......and the influx of items that will be for sale once things get back to normal.......
i think prices will drop.......but smart buyers with pent up desire and cash , will be snagging up deals left and right !

IMO...

 

Or you will see a lot more of us old folks returning to the art of dumpster diving.

 

And trash picking! I wish I could do the dumpster thing; I watch dumpster divers on Youtube and you wouldn't believe what they find.

 

Yes I would.
Many, many years back, I used to dive the dumpster behind a thrift store. You wouldn't believe what they thought was trash! ! !

 

But now the thrift stores sell that by the pound overseas. They have almost no trash anymore.

 

And right now they're all closed, although the Ill Will near me is still taking donations. At least it's not going directly into a landfill.

 

Happened to drive past Goodwill yesterday. While closed, people are dropping stuff off anyway. There was a growing mountain outside their back door. It is raining here for the next several days. Going to be a big mess.

 

That's a real shame.
You would think people would have more sense.

 

I've seen that happen before; it's begging for rodents and other nasties.