The recession has caused thousands of small businesses to shutter their doors and has put thousands more are at risk of bankruptcy. However, some local businesses have discovered creative ways to survive and even thrive in a challenging economy. Diana Goedhuys, who owns Girard Gourmet with her husband, Francois, has been in business at the same location at 7837 Girard Ave. for more than two decades, and she has seen dozens of family-owned establishments come and go. She credits the success of the restaurant and catering company to knowing what her customers want. “We are dedicated to having things be fresh, we do all our own cooking and baking, and people know they can count on that,” Goedhuys said. When she noticed that customers, particularly those who were in college, wanted fresh lunch options at a reasonable price, she and her team created a new line of grab-and-go salads that are made fresh every morning. To keep the price at the level consumers wanted, she and Francois began growing their own organic produce at their property in Julian. In addition to adding new products, the Goedhuys have searched for ways to bring in customers from outside the community by posting ads in tour books. Diana said that in the last month, she has seen an uptick in the number of customers from the East Coast and Europe, which has boosted business. Like the Goedhuys, Nancy Warwick has also had to find new ways to relate to customers. As owner of Warwick’s, a bookstore, stationery and office supply shop at 7812 Girard Ave. that has been in La Jolla since 1938, she has introduced new author events, community programs and even a blog to keep to customers engaged. “Our approach is not just to survive the recession, but to offer customers a vibrant and stimulating environment, and a strong author events program,” she said. “The community energy is the heart and soul of the store. For me, the store environment, which combines a great staff and a wonderful customer base, is a daily joy.” Both Warwick and Diana Goedhuys said that in addition to trying new things, business owners should stay true to some basic principles, including giving back to the local community, hiring good staff members and offering great customer service. “Someone said to me the other day, ‘Keep your regular customers happy so that they’ll still be there when this all turns around,’” Goedhuys said. “We are always looking for ways to provide better and faster service.”