Normally, Thanksgiving and Black Friday would be considered the best chances for small business owners to gain sales during the year. 

Now, however, during a pandemic, that isn't necessarily the case. 

For business owners in the Millcreek Mall, the scene has shifted as the holiday shopping season inches closer. They will not be able to be open on Thanksgiving day. This is due to pandemic restrictions set by the mall staff.

"We don't want to require crazy, long days for a lot of our merchants so they don't have to have the stores open from the crack of dawn, all the way to midnight, or anything like that", said Joe Bell, mall Spokesperson. 

Bell said that after speaking to owners, the biggest concern he had was making sure that every owner had ample time to set up for the shopping rush, something he says hasn't been the case in recent months. 

"We're sensitive to that need that they need to be cautious of how they staff their stores, and be cautious of their overhead costs", Bell said.

Owners inside the mall agree with that decision. In fact, some owners we spoke to say they normally wouldn't open before Black Friday, anyway.

"I know people are very excited about holiday shopping especially that night, but people can go online and shop with us 24 hours a day", said Greg Straub, Owner of Erie Apparel. 

Belynda D'Andrea, store manager of Gracylane, agrees. "We traditional open at 6 on black Friday anyways, so it didn't really affect us", she said.

But owners have a difficult task this year: make up for lost sales during a pandemic that has taken out so many small businesses already. 

Straub knows how critical this time of year is. In fact, he says that 40% of his yearly sales comes from the holiday season alone: "We rely on so much of our income through November and December, just because when people are holiday shopping and gift giving", he said. 

That's why he isn't relying on in person shopping. Rather, online sales. 

"Being able to have that option means everything to our business", said Straub. "It's what kept us alive through the first set of lockdowns in March and April, and it's what's going to keep us sustainable through the holiday season."

D'Andrea has plans for her storefront as well. Rather than online shopping, however, she plans to take a page out of the books of restaurant owners.

"We are offering over the phone sales, and we are offering curbside pickup", D'Andrea said. "This will help to give everyone the options they need, in our minds". 

Regardless of method, both say that sales must be as high as usual during this time of year to be set for 2021. 

This story was supported by the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.