How COVID-19 Is Impacting Businesses on Barracks Row

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted businesses across the country. The following analysis was conducted to understand what it has meant for businesses on Barracks Row. As the pandemic continues, Barracks Row Main Street is using this information to help support its businesses and play a proactive role in the corridor's economic recovery.

The findings presented below are a summary of an in-depth analysis conducted on behalf of Barracks Row Main Street using a blend of emerging data sources including monthly customer spending and traffic data provided through credit card and geospatial cell phone data. Data reflects a geographic area bounded by 7th Street SE, Pennsylvania Avenue SE, 11th Street SE, and Virginia Avenue SE. Importantly, these findings focus on 'retail businesses' which include merchandise stores, food and beverage establishments, and businesses providing neighborhood goods and services. Additional information regarding the methodology used in this analysis is included at the end of this report.

While some area businesses experienced an increase in sales during the pandemic, such as grocery stores, home improvement stores, and pet stores, most retailers saw a decline. Unsurprisingly, entertainment establishments and restaurants were hit the hardest.

Despite the pandemic, retail on Barracks Row outperformed many other neighborhoods in the District. Although the number of visitors and customers from outside of the neighborhood decreased dramatically (47% reduction), a surge in customer traffic from local residents (75% increase) has helped keep almost every Barracks Row business in operation to date.

Barracks Row Main Street (BRMS) focused its efforts during the pandemic on continuing to attract customers to the corridor and connecting its businesses with PPE, financial assistance, and other types of business assistance.

Grocery and home improvement stores saw a positive increase in sales while restaurants and eating establishments lost significant revenue during COVID.

Exploring how Barracks Row compares with the District's retail trends and comparable neighborhoods helps contextualize the pandemic's impacts and show what makes Barracks Row special.

Barracks Row Main Street has focused its efforts on connecting its businesses with PPE, financial assistance, and other types of business assistance.

Our marketing efforts are aimed at showing potential customers what our businesses have to offer and creating a safe and inviting shopping and dining experience. Importantly, we must continue to reward neighborhood residents for their overwhelming support. With the loss of tourist and destination customers, its our own community who has kept Barracks Row afloat.

All of our businesses have been impacted by the pandemic and need significant support. However, our restaurants and entertainment-oriented businesses are in particular need. Fewer businesses on Barracks Row have ceased operations during the pandemic than most DC neighborhoods. We will do everything we can to keep it that way.

731 8th Street, SE, Suite 201, Washington, DC 20003

 info@barracksrow.org 

Tel: 202-544-3188

Looking for a summary version of these findings? Check out the snapshot link below.

This analysis uses a blend of emerging data sources with data as recent as January 2021: Master Card Local Retail Insights (credit card data); SafeGraph (phone GPS data); and ESRI Business Analyst (detailed business information based on economic census and other sources). The analysis focuses on 'retail businesses' including merchandise stores, food and beverage establishments, and businesses providing neighborhood goods and services. Data is collected from a geographic area bounded by 7th Street SE, Pennsylvania Avenue SE, 11th Street SE, and Virginia Avenue SE, and may include the operations of some businesses not directly on Barracks Row and/or businesses whose administrative offices are on Barracks Row and that have additional activity elsewhere. Some charts do not have units on the Y axis because Master Card Retail Location Insights chooses to depict sales as benchmarked ratios as opposed to raw numbers. For the purposes of this study, local residents are defined as customers who reside in the same zip code as a given business district. Sales figures represent all sales at area businesses-- not just transactions made with a Mastercard credit card. This study assumes that the change in sales by Mastercard users over time is proportionally similar to those paying in cash or using other types of credit cards.

Please note, the findings and data presented in this analysis reflect the impact of COVID-19 pandemic through the end of 2020 while the pandemic is still ongoing. The analysis and findings to date may change as the pandemic continues.