Ripl Small Business Feature: How Seattle Small Businesses Got Creative During COVID-19 — And What We Did Too

Seattle Art Source Was Featured Alongside Eight Other Local Businesses Finding New Ways to Stay Connected.

When the world shut down in spring 2020, Seattle’s small business community didn’t go quiet — it got creative.

Ripl, a social media marketing platform, rounded up nine small businesses that found inventive ways to keep showing up for their customers during the early days of the pandemic. For example, a Capitol Hill home goods shop staged elaborate Saturday window displays. Meanwhile, a downtown espresso bar partnered with bike messengers for same-day delivery. Seattle businesses leaned into their communities in some genuinely heartwarming ways. The throughline? Every business found a way to translate what made them special into something that could reach people where they were. Specifically, they connected with customers at home, online, and when people were craving connection.

Seattle Art Source was proud to be included in the feature. Founder Sarah Hurt pivoted to virtual art consultations, meeting clients over FaceTime and Zoom to walk through the gallery. She also helped them envision art in their homes and answer all the “how does this work?” questions. These questions are so much easier to answer face-to-face. It was a natural extension of what Seattle Art Source has always done — make original art feel approachable and personal. However, it happened through a screen instead of a studio visit.

Looking back, that season was a reminder of something we already believed: art isn’t a luxury you defer until life settles down. If anything, it’s one of the things that makes staying home feel like living.

Read the full feature on Ripl here.