For all of the tragic tales that the year 2020 has spun, there’s a pretty sweet story developing down near the Southern end of Hilton Head Island.
You see, just like the rest of us, Gus and Maureen Robinson were forced to shut down last Spring. The business they’d run for 30 years, Island Fudge Shoppe, was closed. Just like the rest of us, their only choice was to sit and wait and hope that things would get better soon.
As days turned into weeks, they not only found themselves without their routine of three decades making their very popular chocolate bites and fudge, but their son, a student at Clemson University was at home. Just like the rest of us, routines were busted.
What is it that they say? That necessity is the mother of invention? Don’t quote me on that, but I think I am in the neighborhood. Well, as Gus tells the story, their son – faced with more down time than he could stand apparently – offered to rebuild mom and dad’s website.
Gus tells me they had one, but it was a bit antiquated. It got them by, but it didn’t come with any of the bells or whistles that a modern website is capable of in 2020.
The reality is, rebuilding something like that could cost thousands of dollars. Websites ain’t cheap y’all. When you lose months of income, it makes it twice as cost prohibitive. But rebuild it he did.
I wish it were possible to share just how proud of this new website Gus and Maureen are and how proud they are of their son for rebuilding it for them. The biggest difference? This new website allows Island Fudge Shoppe fans to order online. Yes, for the first time. I can’t really say the phone is ringing off the hook, but lets just say business is good.
I won’t share numbers, frankly I didn’t ask. The smiles say enough for us to know that 2020 may have just been saved by the amount of online orders they are receiving. Families who visit every year but didn’t this year are getting their chocolate fix shipped to them. Corporate entities are ordering chocolates with their logo. Other small businesses are placing gift pack bulk orders to give out as Christmas gifts to their clients. Why? Because it’s local and they don’t have to leave the comforts of their living rooms to do so.
It’s working, and the Robinsons are over the moon because of it.
There was some question about how busy they’d be this holiday season. Foot traffic could possibly slow down for reasons that we all know and don’t need to discuss here so there was some uncertainty. That’s largely gone now. Thanks to a shut down, a college student bored at home, and a laptop.
Take that 2020! The Robinsons have turned you upside down. If you’d like to order some of their sweet goodness yourself? Islandfudge.com. Click it and like it.
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