As of this spring, 4,500 businesses in King County had either temporarily or permanently closed. These were our favorite restaurants and bars – the barber we’ve been going to for years or the local shop where we did our holiday shopping. There’s no doubt that our local businesses need our help now more than ever.

Fortunately, we know a lot more about the virus than we did back in the spring. And our business community has gone to great lengths to accommodate for COVID-19 precautions. Which means we can patronize our local businesses while still being safe.

Since many of us have canceled vacations, people are embracing staycations as a way to get out of the house. A destination like the Cedarbrook Lodge in SeaTac is the perfect staycation getaway, equipped with a spa and 18 acres of grounds to explore.

Cedarbrook Lodge offers the perfect staycation getaway, equipped with a spa and 18 acres of grounds to explore.

Restaurants and pubs like Chontong Thai in SeaTac or Quarterdeck in Des Moines are providing takeout for anyone who wants to experience their delicious food or beer from the comfort of their home.

Restaurants like Chontong Thai in SeaTac offer takeout for those wanting to experience their delicious cuisine from the comfort of home.

You can buy coffee grounds online and have them shipped to your house from your favorite café, like Boon Boona Coffee in Renton. And of course, you can order a coffee-to-go or purchase gift cards from your local bakery, like KJ’s Cakery Bakery in Kent, or from an attraction, like the Museum of Flight in Tukwila.

Whether you’re doing it in-person or online, you can safely shop and take out from businesses right here in King County. The people running these shops are our neighbors and friends, and this is a great way to help those in need within our community.

So mask up, support a local business, and be a part of the recovery. It starts with all of us.