Dawn Morris, one of the owners of the Bishops Cut/Color franchise in University Place, has volunteered and been appointed to serve as the newest member of the City’s Economic Development Advisory Commission.
“I believe it’s important for citizens to be involved in their local government,” Morris says. She believes this is especially necessary in light of the challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic. “Many U.P. businesses have lost revenue from the COVID-19 shutdowns. While the financial help offered by the state and city of U.P. have helped, I believe many businesses will take a long time to recover.”
Morris opened her salon in November 2019, just months before the pandemic hit, and although she admits she expected the first few years would be challenging, she did not account for a global pandemic in her business plan. “Things have been tough, for sure, but we’ve learned to think outside the box during these trying times,” she says.
That’s why she and Theresa Fouquette of Bliss Ice Cream helped organize the Holiday Cheer UP! Parade through the Village at Chambers Bay in December. The socially-distanced event gave businesses an opportunity to share the holiday spirit while also reminding the public that they were open and eager to support their holiday shopping needs.
?“I visited many businesses and made connections with their owners or managers while organizing the event,” Morris says. “I hope to continue building bridges with businesses in University Place so I can be an effective ambassador for them on the City’s Economic Development Advisory Commission.”