THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WTXL) — Rebound Georgia is focusing on the people in our community, stepping up to support one another during the pandemic.
In Thomasville, a family owned appliance company that's served South Georgia for more than 30 years is giving back to help the community rebound.
As many businesses closed and furloughed or laid off workers during the pandemic, Bobby Dollar Appliances in Thomasville was doing the opposite.
May was the busiest month in the store's 37 year history with COVID-19 creating demand.
People thought they were going to run out of food so they bought new freezers. Stimulus money helped people replace outdated appliances and the construction business never stopped.
Store owner Bobby Dollar says his business is getting creative to provide options for people dealing with the financial fallout of COVID-19. He's offering customers no interest until Jan 2022.
"When people are wanting to buy stuff and they don't have the money because they are laid off, we're offering that special financing for them," said Dollar. "It is part of our essential program to look after our customers."
Customers who are now adjusting to a new normal are trying to get comfortable working from home, cooking more meals, and using their appliances more than ever before.
Which is why Dollar is now also offering lay-a-way and help with warranties.
"We're helping them on the warranty end, on the cost of that so they can have a warranty, but we're not making anything on it," Dollar said. "We're selling them warranties at cost so they can get that added to the package and be happy about their purchase."
Dollar says one area where the pandemic is affecting his business is stock.
He says he currently needs about 60 refrigerators but can't get them. There are over 20,000 on back order.
The businesses that make the parts are still closed due to the pandemic.
Major appliances have an average lifespan of 10 to 13 years. If you want to keep your appliances running well, longer here are some take-aways:
- Regular maintenance: It will help you avoid expensive service calls and lead to lower utility bills.
- Keep your refrigerator cool and efficient: Clean the coils. The most important part of refrigerator maintenance is keeping the condenser-coils clean.
- Keep your dishwasher sparkly. It's important to clean the inside of the dishwasher. Mineral deposits and leftover food scraps can build up causing clogs or leaks.
- Respect the load-limits of your washer and dryer. Too much weight can cause parts to wear out and break prematurely.
