"You have to be able to pivot." Sales at Anzie Blue CBD retailer up 800% despite pandemic

WEST NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As small business owners work to rebound from the impact of the coronavirus, Anzie Blue in West Nashville may have found the key to success.

"I think it's being able to pivot," said Marcie Allen Van Mol, co-owner. "You have to be able to pivot. If you say this is not how you're supposed to do something you're going to be left by the wayside."

Anzie Blue opened in November. The upscale CBD retailer has always served coffee, but added new items to the menu throughout the pandemic.

"There's no rule book right now or handbook on how to deal with your business in times like this, and so we just continue to listen and be creative and add, add, add," Van Mol said.

Marcie and husband Derek Van Mol kept their business open during the lockdown and instituted curbside pickup and delivery.

"We had people driving to Mt. Juliet or south of Franklin just to drop off a cup of coffee," said Derek Van Mol. "People didn't want to leave their home so we tried to take care of as many people as we could."

Their openness to change proved successful. Anzie Blue's sales are up 800% compared to prior to the pandemic.

"People would come in and say it would be really great if we had 'x,' and then within the next week we would have whatever they requested, like pizza, paninis, breakfast sandwiches," he said.

The store stocks and sells products from other local small businesses including OSA Coffee Roasters, FirePot Tea and WithCo Cocktail Mixers.

This weekend, Anzie Blue is hosting pop-ups with three black-owned female-run businesses. The first 100 customers will get a free cupcake. Find out more on their Instagram.