QCA shops feel positive effects from social media outreach

Two businesses in the Quad Cities area saw their fortunes turn around with help from social media, as their owners were ready to close their doors in a few weeks.

Abigail Cantrill is owner of Barkin’ Beans Coffee Co. in Silvis. “The finances were just like I tried to stay afloat as long as I could,” Cantrill said. “My credit cards were maxed out. I just didn’t have any more money to put towards it.”

Cantrill said she needed to try something new to save her business. “I was like, I can’t do this anymore,” Cantrill said. “I didn’t expect this to happen at all. I was going to stay open until February 15.”

Barkin’ Beans shared a Facebook post on their page detailing their closing date, which gained immediate traction from their supporters and people who never had heard of her business. “It kind of just went crazy,” Cantrill said. “Everyone started sharing it. Everyone started commenting. They were like, we didn’t know you existed. If we did, we would’ve been there. Just the community wanting to come together. And that’s the only thing that kind of changed.”

A similar business in Moline had the same effects on social media. Ashley Adlfinger is co-owner of Lifted Energy. “We were doing pretty decently until winter,” Adlfinger said. “Then it dropped off a little bit.”

Lifted Energy was considering closing their doors for good. “We were unfortunately thinking we were going to have to close, not only because of revenue, but because of just issues that we’ve had with our landlord or the building here,” Adlfinger said.

Like Barkin’ Beans, Lifted Energy hurried to Facebook to tell their supporters about the bad news. They, too, received more customers and more praise for their products. “My sister does our social media,” Adlfinger said. “She posted it, and the outpouring support and love has been way more than we could have ever have expected. Not only has it helped our revenue so much, but I think it has just given us more of a confidence.”

The owner of Barkin’ Beans paid it forward by encouraging other Quad-City food lovers to check out Lifted Energy. “That’s how small businesses get advertising,” Adlfinger said. “We can’t afford advertising, especially a small business who does not want to have these loans, or any other things in their name.”

Cantrill said plans are to stay open past the closure date. Adlfinger said they will reevaluate the plans to close this weekend.