TULSA, Okla. — Shop owners and employees have wondered for months how they'll be able to pay their bills without any business. As shops begin to open back up, those who fell behind are beginning to make ground once again.
Leslie Livingston owns Main Street's Little Shop of Hair in Tulsa. She is the owner and only employee, and the shop is her only source of income.
When she had to close down, Livingston was not able to get unemployment benefits or a stimulus check.
"Very stressful. I guess it humbled me a little bit,” Livingston said. “I just teared up, because everything I tried that they said they would help me with fell through. Everything. So you get your hopes up and then you get nothing.“
Livingston says she felt lost, until her friends and family came to her aid.
"They paid some bills for me, gave some extra cash, and I had a friend who out of the blue sent me money from Facebook,” Livingston said.
Her landlord didn’t even charge rent for the time the shop was closed up, and offered to help her with lunch if she was spread too thin paying for May rent.
Now with her shop back open, Livingston's message is to not give up. She says humility and faith in others got her through her struggle, and could help anyone else going through tough times.
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