FGCU's Restart SWFL Economic Recovery Initiative featuring Bradley's Jewelers on NBC

A new survey from Florida Gulf Coast University says a quarter of all Southwest Florida businesses have laid off at least 80% of their staff because of the pandemic. Today the university announced a new initiative to help businesses get back on their feet. NBC's Devin Turk is at Bradley's Jewelers in Fort Myers to show us how it works.

COVID is totally changing the game for businesses. If you want to come here to Bradley's Jewelers, first you have to put your mask on; then you need to ring the bell. That's because they're only letting one set of customers in at a time. And check this out, this is the entire showroom. They've actually closed off most of the store to help customers feel safe in hopes that all this gets people shopping again.

The last few months have been unprecedented. "It's been a challenge to say the least. We've had to reevaluate everything we know" says Brad Congress.

The downturn is hitting our tourism-based economy especially hard. "When the U.S. economy contracts, Florida contracts even more, sometimes twice the rate of the country. And then some of Southwest Florida contracts more than Florida does."

FGCU's Dr. Christopher Wesley says the path to recovery depends on consumer confidence. The university announced their Economic Recovery Initiative. Participating businesses like Bradley's Jewelers will take a pledge stating that they will meet or exceed CDC guidelines for public health practices, monitor customer and employee concerns, charge fair market prices and apply sound ethical principles. Next, they'll take part in at least two web-based discussions that the university has offered for free. And they'll get their Southwest Florida's seal-of-confidence to help put customers at ease.

"If it encourages people in the business sector to do better, it will encourage the clients to be able to come out and feel comfortable" says Colbi Congress.

And customers are taking notice. "I work in a hospital and cleanliness is important and it's appreciated when everybody takes measures" says customer Jennifer Hoffman.

Dr. Wesley says todays savings may springboard tomorrow's recovery. "And savings actually fuel an eventual recovery at some point in time in the future. That's going to happen; we're just saying, let's move it along."

And if you're a business who also wants to get involved with that Restart Southwest Florida pledge, we've got how you can do that over on the NBC 2 news app. Reporting from Fort Myers, Devin Turk, NBC2.