Local Small Business Pivots From Selling Doors To Selling PPE

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A sign of the times: another local small business owner has pivoted because of the coronavirus crisis. Lee Bonacum is, by trade, in the home finishings industry: selling iron doors, granite and marble countertops and hardwood floors for the past 12 years. As he works to keep that business afloat right now, he has launched another: sourcing and selling personal protective equipment for health care workers, minus the markup.

Bonacum says he is making pennies on the dollar on some of the PPE he sells, and others, he takes a loss. He tells WCCB this isn’t about the money. “Honestly, it’s almost infuriating to see that our medical people are going into war without equipment. without the things that they need to protect themselves,” says Bonacum.

Bonacum tells us that in the three days his website (www.ncppe.com) has been live, he’s gotten dozens of orders so far from health care facilities all over the country. He says private citizens can also purchase the PPE for themselves, but it is sold in bulk.