Main Street fears Wall Street bears
By Laura RillosSPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Business owners on Springfield's Main Street say the credit crunch hasn't hit them yet, but they are feeling the tough economy. Debbie Petersen, owner of BIS Dog Grooming, says customers are going longer between appointments. "Normally, we would be booked out all the way, clear to next Saturday, and we're just not," she said. Still, Petersen feels lucky. She's operated the shop for more than 20 years and believes the customer base she built up during that time is keeping the store afloat. "We have four groomers that work. So we can keep them working," said Petersen. "But if it gets worse, we'll have to cut the schedule back. But right now, we're holding our own. We aren't getting ahead, but we're holding our own." Down the road at Deb's Family Restaurant, the lunch rush is more of a crawl these days. Manager Tina Desilva says business ebbs and flows along with pay schedules. The restaurant has cut back its hours. "We get a lot of regulars that come in still, but sometimes I don't see a lot of them for a long time," Desilva says. "I ask them where they've been and they just say eating at home." Bright Oaks Meat is also feeling the economy, but in a different way. The store accepts food stamps, and business is booming because more Oregonians are relying on the program, according to manager Denise Pohrman. In fact, the store has stopped a planned advertising campaign because they are so busy. "We're busy enough that we just can't take the extra volume," said Pohrman. |
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