GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — One Green Bay business is hoping to bounce back quickly from the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Astor House, a bed and breakfast on Green Bay’s east side, was first impacted by the pandemic in mid-march.
“We had our last guest probably the third week in March,” said Linda Steber, who co-owns the business with her husband, Tom. “After that our reservations began dropping.”
That’s earlier than a lot of other businesses. Governor Tony Evers’ ‘Safer-at-Home’ order took effect on March 24th.
“It hit us very hard, and it hit us early,” Steber told WTAQ. “[There] was a little bit of shock and some panic thrown in there. There was definitely fear. We had no idea how long things were going to trend the way they were.”
The Stebers put one foot before the other. Faced with a lack of revenue, they applied for and received an SBA loan alongside a loan through the City of Green Bay.
The community also stepped up to support Astor House.
“Past guests, people who have just recently become acquainted with the Astor House, we’ve had folks ordering gift certificates,” Steber said.
Branded coffee mugs and other souvenirs have also been popular.
The Stebers also received a boost from an unlikely benefactor: Gilmore Girls actor Scott Patterson. Patterson posted about Astor House on social media, as the Stebers stock Patterson’s signature coffee brand, Scotty P’s Big Mug Coffee.
Astor House recently became a wholesale partner and features the coffee brand at breakfast. They say the social media exposure has grown their presence online.
Astor House will reopen in June.
