Empty Kitchens, Closed Stores: Small China Firms Struggle to Cope With Epidemic Fallout

A man wearing a face mask is seen in front of a closed shop on a street, following an outbreak of the COVID-19, in Beijing, China, on April 16, 2020. Tingshu Wang/Reuters

BEIJING—Ma Xinli has shut four of his clothing stores and expects to close another three by mid-June. Unsold winter stock is now hard to sell, there’s no money to buy summer clothing, and rent and staff salaries still need paying.

He doesn’t expect to see any profit this year.