CINCINNATI — In a time where restaurants are struggling due to the pandemic and the cold weather, one Cincinnati community is coming together to make sure their local businesses survive the winter. 

​​Mt. Lookout Square is tucked away on the east side of Cincinnati. But the square boasts over a dozen restaurants, shops and businesses that residents want to see stick around.

“We like being able to walk from our house down to the square to be able to do errands or go out to eat," said Kitty Conklin, a resident and member of the Mt. Lookout Community Council.

That’s why the Mt. Lookout community council came up with 25 for Mt. Lookout — an initiative to encourage community members to spend $25 in carryout from local restaurants each week.

“It gave the residents of the community an opportunity to visually ad through the pocket book show our businesses exactly how much they mean to us," Conklin said.

For Olivia Reichardt and her husband, it’s been a struggle to own and operate their coffee shop this year.

“Our biggest issue has been encouraging people to still come out and feel safe and comfortable doing so," Reichardt said.

Which is why the 25 for Mt. Lookout initiative is so huge for them and other small business owners in the square.

“I can’t believe the outpouring from everyone," Reichardt said. "For me, I get choked up as a parent, as a business owner in the square, as someone who these people came behind us and so we’re going to keep coming.”

For well-known burger joint Zip’s cafe, they’re operating at about 40% this year. But thanks to a generous $1,000 tip over the weekend, the business is thankful for their patrons support.

“There was definitely quite a bit of excitement involved," Mike Burke, the owner of Zip's, said. "I know everybody that was there that day was certainly blown away by the gesture in of itself. I mean, money aside, It still was just such a kind act by somebody that none of us actually know.”

25 for Mt. Lookout encourages residents to post their new favorite finds on social media to encourage others to try new places.

“Having other people watching out for the 15 or 20 local businesses here, just specifically watching out for us and reaching out to other people and people hitting like and following and all of that, it’s amazing how that blows up," Reichardt said.

And while it may take a while for these businesses to fully recover from the pandemic, they’re confident they’ll be able to make it through thanks to the community support.

“We keep seeing people come in and spend their hard earned money with us in a time where we always appreciate it, but right now it is above and beyond," Burke said. "It is what is keeping small businesses alive is people’s generosity.”

“We’re not going anywhere," Reichardt said. "We’re going to be here, even if it’s just my husband and I running it at the very end of the day.”