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Competing Boise businesses join forces to stay afloat during coronavirus outbreak

"I'm hoping our local businesses can band together to keep Boise what it is."

BOISE, Idaho — As the coronavirus pandemic continues in what feels like its fifth year, two competing Boise companies are now working together in order to stay in business during the outbreak and looming economic downturn.

Ryan Clements is the co-owner of Sticker Status, which he calls "a one-stop kind for marketing shop." He's owned the business for over three years now. 

His competitor is Pail Morgan, who owns Dynamite Signs and Graphics, who has only been in business since the middle of last year.

When the coronavirus and COVID-19 began creeping into headlines, Clements thought it was overhyped, until his customers started canceling orders.

"About two-three weeks ago, whenever it was declared a national emergency a few customers said, 'I've got the cash in hand but we just gotta wait until this is over" - They don't want to spend money right now," he explained.

Morgan started seeing potential clients do the same thing. That's when Clements reached out to Morgan to devise a plan that could keep both of them in business.

"So then when things started to slow up and he calls up and says hey can we use your equipment," Morgan said. "I was more than happy to do more work, as long as I have capacity I'm willing to keep things busy."

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For Clements, while he may now be working with his competition, keeping up with his orders and cutting backs costs is more important.

"So they are direct competition but in order for us to get a better price save on shipping on time because businesses in Boise, they have to stay running, they need their signs," he said. "But they don't have a ton of money to spend so we wanted to cut back on costs."

Morgan and Clements are also helping each other in other ways too. Clements' shop as a 60-foot shop that Morgan is now able to work on bigger vehicles.

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Both men said it's all about small, local businesses working together, not necessarily about making as much money as possible.

"You know, local businesses have to work together it's not about which business can make the most," Clements said. "... I'm hoping our local businesses can band together to keep Boise what it is."

"People do need to work together on this," Morgan said, "it's important but we should be working together even without this." 

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