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“We empathize and understand how the current scenario would be very impactful to your business and your family of staff.… We’d like to bridge the gap when you can return to operating again,” said Serafina president Chad Harris in an email sent to Lau this week.

“When we can work together and support each other, we can make these challenging times much less of a strain for all of us.”

It was a gesture of possible financial salvation and a vote of confidence in the future that left Lau in tears.

“They think about us and care about us, even though they have their own problems,” she said. “It’s really heart-warming someone who’s not related to you would do this.”

She said the shop had been weathering the downturn hitting the city’s economy over the past few years, but the novel coronavirus poses an existential challenge.

Like other small businesses clobbered by the COVID-19 outbreak’s resulting social distancing, Lau’s hoping for a rent break from her landlord but has yet to hear back.

For now, the gesture from a group of regular customers is both a confidence and fiscal boost, she said.

“I have been stressed and worried about not being able to pay for expenses, so I wanted to share this story to pass on the good vibes and positivity to the rest of the city,” she said.

Even so, Lau said it’s unclear when she’ll be able to reopen the shop, or move ahead with an expansion into a second downtown location.

“It really depends on when everybody goes back to the office,” and when people start having coffee meetings again, she said.

“This also really shows how important the oil and gas industry is for all sorts of other businesses.”

BKaufmann@postmedia.com

on Twitter: @BillKaufmannjrn