MISSION, Kan. — While many small businesses are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, rising costs of products is creating yet another challenge.
Mike Alhmood, owner of Kinzi, a Mediterranean restaurant in Mission, said many products have doubled or tripled in price, especially meats.
"Chicken I think is like triple," Alhmood said.
He hopes costs will go down, saying if they don't he may have to raise his menu prices, which he fears will hurt business.
"I've done a little bit of change in the last three years, maybe ten percent, but it's not enough, and if I do it much more than that I think people will go away from this kind of food we have," Alhmood said.
Just a few blocks down Johnson Drive, business looks different this spring at Lulu's Boutique, a consignment shop.
"As spring starts to come in, I think we normally see kind of a boost, and we have seen a lowering of our shoppers and the amount of visits, the amount of money they spend," co-owner Joseph Pugh said.
Pugh said the business is also seeing higher costs of utilities. This, all after businesses took a big hit during the pandemic.
"If we were to see more relief I'd like it to be more focused on the small business versus just big buckets of money to be picked up by whoever applies for it," Pugh said.
Alhmood said his business stays afloat thanks to his loyal customers. Despite the rising costs, he'll do everything he can to keep his menu prices the same.
"I'm trying to make it balanced, you know I try to just make it feasible for everybody," Alhmood said. "Myself, I'm satisfied if I'm living you know that's good enough for me."
