Sandy Agnoletto has been the owner of Sportsco Bendigo for 22 years and says the recent months have been the most challenging.
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"It is something none of us have ever seen," Mr Agnoletto said.
"Nobody could prepare or have predicted this situation."
The situation he refers to is the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on retail and hospitality businesses.
Restrictions on crowd gatherings, the cancellation of local sport and then government advice to stay at home forced the sporting good retailer to adapt, and fast.
"Initially we adjusted our trading hours and then there were some new services we introduced," Mr Agnoletto said.
A delivery and pick up service were just some of the ways Sportco adapted to the new norm.
A sponsor of central Victorian sporting clubs for more than two decades, Mr Agnoletto is excited at the prospect of local sport returning in the near future.
"Local sport is crucial to allowing people to get outside, associate with others and develop new skills," he said.
Sportsco retails sporting footwear, clothing and equipment and has six employees.
Sportsco Bendigo is located at 265 Hargreaves Street, Bendigo.
Its trading hours are Monday to Friday from 10am until 5pm, Saturday from 10am until 4pm and Sunday from 11am until 1pm.
In a boost to the hospitality sector, Premier Daniel Andrews announced a return to dining in eateries from June 1.
Up to 20 diners would be permitted in an enclosed space, with an expectation that this could increase to 50 patrons from June 22.
At present, hospitality venues are permitted to offer only take away services.
READ MORE: Cafes for COVID support rolls in
Mr Andrews said the relaxation of restrictions would be dependent on testing and active COVID-19 case numbers in the next fortnight.
"We have a roadmap to help Victoria's cafes, restaurants and pubs safely reopen. And it's up to all of us to make it work," Mr Andrews said.
Bendigo organisations have come up with innovative ways to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bendigo Foodshare has organised a crowdfunding campaign, Cafes for COVID, to help pay for food and cooking supplies from local growers, manufacturers and suppliers.
The initiative hopes to raise $10,000 and aims to help local businesses create meals that will be distributed through the food relief network in Bendigo.
The campaign has raised more than $6000 so far.
Be.Bendigo chief executive Dennis Bice is also urging people to use Localised Central Victoria to search for goods and services they may struggle to find during the pandemic.
You can access the directory and connect with a range of central Victorian businesses at centralvic.localised.com.au
The Bendigo Advertiser will also be hosting a Business Hour on our Facebook page from 6pm today.
The Back in Business guide is a chance for businesses to tell people that they are open and whether there are changes to normal operating hours.
Our community will be able to support businesses while observing social distancing rules.
We will publish and promote this directory on our websites.
If your business already submitted an Open for Business listing we will reuse it.
These listings can also be updated via our website. Please include all information you wish to be published, not just changes.
Listings can also be deleted if you wish.
