As the world went into a global emergency last year, we started adjusting ourselves to the new conditions. As we come to realize that things may never be the same again, many of us are nostalgic for the way things used to be.
Quarantined for the better part of the year, we have learned to embrace new ways of running mundane chores, handling the workload from our homes, and making adjustments to what is now called social distancing.
While Covid-19 is proving to be detrimental for most businesses, we have seen the rise of certain old-world trends that appeal straight to our nostalgic senses.
From drive-in theaters becoming a craze again to the resurgence of home gardening boosting demand from seed companies amidst the pandemic, various long discarded business ideas are taking off again while the world was undergoing the public health crisis.
5 nostalgic businesses are making a comeback and we love it!
1. Drive-in theaters
When was the last time you went to or heard of a drive-in theater? What was your first movie? Maybe you went there with your mom and dad for your birthday? Did you pass your exams? Gone With the Wind, The Sound of Music, Ben Hur, or, When You Wish Upon A Star...; nostalgic memories abound.
Drive-in theaters are no longer just a nostalgic fad of the ’50s. The coronavirus pandemic has brought drive-in theaters back into vogue as the revived medium for watching movies on the big screen in 2020!
The West Wind Drive-In in Solano, California, was the venue for the screening of E.T. and more than 200 cars gathered at the venue. Only 305 drive-in theaters remain in the United States as of October 2019, a sharp decline from over 2,000 operational theaters in the 1950s.
The pandemic changed the game and people welcomed the idea of drive-ins once again as it allows you to safely socialize from inside your bubble.
2. Milk delivery
As the pandemic drove the world into a frenzy, we could do very little when it came to stockpiling items of necessity. Staple items quickly ran out at grocery stores, and milk flew off the shelves too quickly because of the evident disruption in the supply chain. This is what brought back home milk delivery services once again.
The unavailability of milk in the supermarkets was the reason for households to turn their heads toward traditional milk delivery services.
Katie Herrmann, the co-owner of Colo, a family-owned firm, revealed the surge in orders and the increase in new customer sign-ups around mid-March last year. Katie also reveals that the customers have been asking for more staples like butter and eggs in addition to milk since the lockdown began.
Certainly, we love to hear the sound of the milkman delivering milk on our doorsteps again! Great to see you back!
3. Plexiglass manufacturing
Adherence to the demands of social distancing has brought plexiglass back into use. Used as a protective cover, plexiglass has made its way back into the marketplace to accommodate social distancing. The demand for plexiglass acrylic sheets skyrocketed, with a surge of orders from offices, restaurants, parlors, public transport companies, and more.
According to various reports, the month of March and April last year recorded an almost threefold increase in the sale of plexiglass. The plexiglass business witnessed a slump before the pandemic due to the decrease in demand from the automotive and construction industries. However, the bounce-back of plexiglass companies is certainly bringing back more nostalgic memories.
4. Seed companies
In today’s commodity world, you might consider gardening an outmoded hobby. But while the world took an imposed rest, thanks to the pandemic, with boredom setting in, gardening sprouted up again as a hobby. Thus, there is an increase in the demand for the products of seed companies.
Many of us have learned to put things into perspective and adjust our time to create something beautiful and sustainable. There was a notable increase in the demand for vegetable seeds like beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, and green vegetables.
The demand for seeds and thus, the revival of seed companies, takes us back to the mid-forties, right after the Second World War when people chose to be self-sufficient to ease pressure on the supply chain of the country.
5. Sewing machines
While some searched for new hobbies amidst the pandemic, others went back to embracing old ones. Sewing machines were increasingly bought up and worn-out ones were taken away to the workshop for repair. “Everyone felt a little bit helpless, and so they started pulling sewing machines out of their attics,” says Sarah Kaiser, the manager of the Leabu Sewing Center.
In fact, due to the rise in demand, the price of the sewing machines has gone as high as $500! If you are into DIY, you might want to take your sewing machine out of the attic and kick-start your hobby while the world gets used to the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Feel nostalgic yet?
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