Let's all try to support our local restaurants and other businesses whenever possible. It's very tough operating in this economy as many small and independent businesses are dealing with increasing labor, rent and food costs, etc. These smaller establishments add so much to our quality of life in BCS!

Chime in and highlight great experiences! Please know your business and support could mean the difference between survival or shutting down for many of these businesses.

jja79 said:

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What do you mean by this economy?

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reading between the lines but I think OP means the summer economy around here with the population temporarily shrinking so much.

Weekends like this one with the regional in town definitely help.

Whether a store is locally owned or a franchisee owned chain store with dozens of employees, they are all having tough times with the inflation over the past four years being over 20% increase and higher if you include food and energy prices. It's tighting everyone's budgets.....businesses and consumers. We have reduced our eating out about 2/3s.

I think a lot of townies are feeling the crunch of a lot less discretionary funds. The jobs around here don't pay the best. Taxes and valuations have skyrocketed, along with higher insurance costs have done a number on people's mortgages.

I try to support locals when I can, but the fact remains that we just don't go out near as much as we did.

Here's my opinion:

It's not *all* medians
It's not *all* taxes
It's not *all* Bidenomics
It's not *all* inflation
It's not *all* higher interest rates
It's not *all* wages not keeping pace

But, you add all that up together, and it causes what we are seeing.


Edit to add: All you hear from our elected "leaders" at the local / county level is that everything is great, and we need more taxes for this, that, and the other.

Hornbeck said:

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Here's my opinion:

It's not *all* medians
It's not *all* taxes
It's not *all* Bidenomics
It's not *all* inflation
It's not *all* higher interest rates
It's not *all* wages not keeping pace

But, you add all that up together, and it causes what we are seeing.


Edit to add: All you hear from our elected "leaders" at the local / county level is that everything is great, and we need more taxes for this, that, and the other.

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Local and state governments should go on a diet and for the next few years only spend money on essentials and nothing else....the same was what the taxpayers are doing.

ArlingtonAg2015 said:

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I'm in town for regionals and was excited to go to Hullabaloo Diner for breakfast. Checked their website for opening time and it looks like they're closed. Their Facebook page showed a partial June calendar and only open next Saturday and Sunday. What's going on over there?

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They've had janky hours for a while now. Always have to check before heading out there.

That's your experience. We've tried to go too many times when they should have been open and they weren't over the last few years that we've mostly stopped trying.

I won't head over there now unless I've checked Facebook. Lots of other folks in the meals and deals group have had the same experience I have.

And some annoyance!! I was hungry and just wanted brunch, damnit

maroon barchetta said:

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I supported two local businesses today. One restaurant and one hair salon.

My wife wanted a wrap from Jason's Deli. I stopped in there to pick up food to go and at one point I was the only customer in the room. Really odd considering how busy that place used to be.

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Love Jason's deli, but not locally owned. It's a big chain based in Beaumont. I may be wrong but the spirit of "support local" is for locally owned independent businesses. I'm not trying to be a certain way or derail, it's just an important distinction.

australopithecus robustus said:

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maroon barchetta said:

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I supported two local businesses today. One restaurant and one hair salon.

My wife wanted a wrap from Jason's Deli. I stopped in there to pick up food to go and at one point I was the only customer in the room. Really odd considering how busy that place used to be.

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Love Jason's deli, but not locally owned. It's a big chain based in Beaumont. I may be wrong but the spirit of "support local" is for locally owned independent businesses. I'm not trying to be a certain way or derail, it's just an important distinction.

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Some of the "locally owned" retailers are owned by persons living in Austin, Houston, DFW, etc.

australopithecus robustus said:

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maroon barchetta said:

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I supported two local businesses today. One restaurant and one hair salon.

My wife wanted a wrap from Jason's Deli. I stopped in there to pick up food to go and at one point I was the only customer in the room. Really odd considering how busy that place used to be.

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Love Jason's deli, but not locally owned. It's a big chain based in Beaumont. I may be wrong but the spirit of "support local" is for locally owned independent businesses. I'm not trying to be a certain way or derail, it's just an important distinction.

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Let me offer some additional clarity about my post.

I mentioned that I did support local.

Following the discussion we had seen included above about factors that affect people's ability or desire to spend money dining out, I added that Jason's Deli had no business when I visited, confirming the observation that people are not dining out as much as before, whether the business is locally owner or a chain.

My post was touching on two subjects. Sorry if that was not clear.

Yes support local is a tricky situation

Whatever place you eat or visit chances are the manager,owner, or workers live in BCS

Some exceptions yhe owners live and started in BCS
Farm Patch

Readfields

Sewvac city I think is not a franchise

That is just a few

Oh and you can support me next Saturday when I start selling tomotoes Do not let this derail the thread I will be starting one this week eventually

The Feed Barn
Pepe's Mexican Cafe
Christopher's
Top of the Hill
Margie's Bar and Grill
Zeitman's Grocery
C&J's BBQ
Fire and Ice Snow Cones
The Attic Antiques/Rabbit Hole
Kettlebell's Sweets and Treats

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