Inflation surge forces small businesses to make tough decisions

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The surging inflation is causing many to make some tough financial decisions, local businesses included.

In fact, a lot of small businesses are having to decide between keeping prices the same and potentially losing money or raising the cost of their goods and services and possibly losing customers.

“It’s tough,” said Ambrosia Automotive owner Ryan Ambrosia. “It’s tough because at the end of the day, that’s how we put food on our table.”

Owner of Meal Preps 4 Me, Matthew Delman, said he too decided not to increase the price of his food preparation and delivery service.

“We kind of see this thing as temporary,” said Delman. “Obviously it’s going to let up at some point in time so we’d rather take care of our customers.”

That decision has him and his family paying the price, though.

“I think it just takes more strategy now because the costs have raised so much between containers and the cost of gas,” said Delman. “What we found is coming back to home and being close with local people, we’re all sharing the same exact problems.”

Some small business owners, like ice cream truck driver Michael, say they feel forced to increase their prices.

“I get some people that don’t understand the prices,” Michael said. “It costs me about 70 bucks a day to fill up my tank.”

With most people struggling to afford food and gas above all other things, Kim Krieger with Sauder Village said leaders there decided to offer reduced admission rates.

“For families who are on a food-assistance program”, Krieger said. “It was really the right thing to do, but we realize that times are tough right now and families are spending so much money on food and gas and basic necessities that sometimes it’s hard to have that extra money to maybe spend on visiting museums and places like Sauder Village.”

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