At this time last year, Scent and Sip’s Jennifer Burnley was one of the business owners spearheading the revitalization of Lansdale Borough’s downtown area. Her business was thriving, as families, bridal parties and other groups increasingly sought out an alternative to the popular BYOB Painting with a Twist.
Then the coronavirus pandemic happened, and Burnley found her livelihood on the wrong end of Governor Tom Wolf’s business shutdown order.
She had been deemed nonessential.
Like many others across the region, Burnley closed-down her operation and entered a period of worry and uncertainty. As the days grew into weeks, Burnley continued to ponder ways in which she could adapt and reopen her business. She had come too far to let this be the end of her business.
After six weeks, Burnley said she spoke at length with state Rep. Steve Malagari and other local leaders about pursuing avenues to reopen. Following those conversations, Burnley decided to reopen her shop, but with a focal shift towards manufacturing and online parties.
“After speaking with Steve [Malagari], I decided to become a manufacturer and focus on online sales,” Burnley said. “After those discussions, I felt empowered to reopen.”
Burnley quickly overhauled her entire website, with a new focus on online item creation and online parties. Like the in-store experience, customers can select from a variety of items online, then design the scents on the website. Burnley then creates the product herself, and the customer receives it in the mail.
For those who want a semi-authentic experience, online parties have also become a big hit. While being interviewed for this article, Burnley was preparing supplies to be shipped to more than a dozen customers who will be participating in an online baby shower for their friend. Burnley said that each customer will receive the needed supplies, then Burnley will join the Zoom call for approximately 20 minutes to walk them through the creation of their items.
“So far, so good. It’s fun, and it’s something different,” said Burnley. “People are really enjoying this new activity.”
In addition to the manufacturing and online focus, Burnley said she is continuing to partner with local businesses on other endeavors. Those include an exclusive candle pairing for one of Round Guys Brewing Company’s new beers, and the sales of her store’s hand sanitizer at both Wister’s Barbecue and the Well Crafted Beer Co.
Concerns remain for Burnley, however. She said that some of her suppliers have already gone out of business, and added that the worldwide container market has been decimated by supply demands from the ongoing pandemic.
“As far as the impact this has had on my business…I don’t know yet,” said Burnley. “I know we didn’t have any revenue for six weeks. I don’t know how everything is going to shape up.”
Despite those concerns, Burnley said hers is not a tale of woe, and she remains optimistic about the possibilities that online sale present for her business.
“I’ve learned a ton. I’ve opened up a new channel for myself, which I didn’t have before,” said Burnley. “That’s amazing. Online was never in the short-term plan for things we wanted to pursue or tackle.”
And while she’s excited about the online side, she also noted that she’s currently preparing her store to reopen once the county moves into the yellow phase of the state’s reopening plan.
“We’re going to restructure the store layout for the move to yellow,” said Burnley. “Once we’re back open, we’re going to scale things down to short reservations for people from the same household. Then we’ll evaluate from there and see what we need to do.”
Scent and Sip is located at 323 West Main Street in Lansdale Borough. To learn more, visit www.scentandsip.com.
See also:
What's Open? These Businesses Remain in Operation in Lansdale
Out of Work, Out of Options: A Lansdale Dog-Groomer's Tale
Retro Fitness in Montgomery Township Announces Permanent Closure
Lansdale Tavern to Reopen Next Week for Takeout and Delivery
Optimism, Innovation Abound As Lansdale Businesses Adapt To Crisis
