Business forecast: Stark County shop owners gauge the current economic climate

Fuel costs, the rising price of animal feed and inflation are all concerns for Kevin Davis.

Davis owns and operates Strasburg Meats, a Canton Township butcher shop. The cost of meat remains historically high.

“The market went bonkers and prices sky-rocketed," Davis said, facing the impacts of unstable economic conditions head on.

Davis is not alone in his apprehension of the current economic climate.

A recent study by the National Federation of Independent Businesses reveals a growing number of small business owners are concerned for their future.

Here's what some Stark County business owners have to say about the challenges ahead:

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Strasburg Meats, Kevin Davis: “It’s honestly kind of scary.”

Strasburg Meats in the Meyers Lake Plaza has been family-owned and operated by two generations.

In the past year, 44% of business owners reported job openings as hard to fill.

Davis has five employees in the shop. He said they are reliable but finding them was no easy feat.

“It was really hard to get someone to come in, especially being a small business owner, not being able to pay somebody salary or corporate pay,” Davis said.

Davis noted another concern: inflation.

When cattle are sold for butchering, the animals are weighed while still alive. This is known as live weight.

According to Davis, earlier this year, live weight was 90 cents per pound. Now, it's $1.90 per pound, a huge increase.

“That is historical,” Davis said. “We are still feeling the rift of that. I know by the end of summer it will be pretty insane.”

While Davis is hopeful, he understands the future may be rocky for his business and others like it. Davis predicts that prices in his store may fluctuate 35% to 40% in coming months.

“It’s honestly kind of scary because normally the local market is a little more sustainable,” Davis said. “The local market is in a fragile state.”

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Completely Cookied, Emily Philpott: "There's no stability. You just have to go into it for the love of it."

After 18 years of being a stay-at-home mom, Emily Philpott made a huge life decision. She was going to open a business.

"I just needed something a little different, a little more," Philpott said.

Philpott began baking and selling cookies in April 2022. Her side hustle quickly became a full-time job as she established Completely Cookied, a mobile bakery providing 30 flavors of cookie creations.

Philpott travels to farmers markets and other gatherings across Northeast Ohio to sell her cookies.

“I’ve always wanted to offer yummy treats at a reasonable price,” Philpott said.

When the price of eggs skyrocketed earlier this year, Philpott refused to raise her prices.

“It hurt my pocketbook a little bit," Philpott said.

Philpott was able to quickly bounce back. Because her business is mobile, she does not have to worry about many of the challenges storefront owners face such as paying rent.

“That’s probably why we won’t go in the direction of a storefront,” Philpott said. “The economy is so topsy turvy right now that I don’t want to get stuck with something that I can’t handle.”

Philpott said that she has four friends who unfortunately lost their storefronts in recent months. She is worried current economic conditions will result in more local business owners going under.

With hard work and dedication, the bakery owner hopes that she will make it out of hard economic times. Philpott has plans to expand by purchasing a larger trailer and becoming licensed to sell beverages.

“There’s no stability,” Philpott said. “You just have to go into it for the love of it.”

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Cherry Blend Coffee Roasters, Terry Miller: “How can I save money tomorrow based on what I need today?”

Peggy and Terry Miller first opened the doors of Cherry Blend Coffee Roasters at 1003 Cherry Ave. in Canton in 2018.

The pair started with a love for coffee. Now, they source beans from around the world, roast them and sell their product locally and across the United States.

“Overall, inflation is killing everybody – there’s no doubt about that,” Terry Miller said.

A quarter of all small business owners cite inflation as the biggest issue impacting their business.

However, unlike many small businesses, Cherry Blend Coffee Roasters has been able to counteract the side effects of inflation.

Miller said he purchases and reserves bags of beans in advance at a set price, meaning they remain unaffected by inflation.

Prior to roasting coffee, Peggy and Terry owned an interior painting business for 27 years. The long-time business owners have learned to prepare for future economic conditions.

“I’m always looking ahead and planning ahead,” Terry Miller said. “How can I save money tomorrow based on what I need today?”

Wolf Games & Models' Emily Robinson: 'When distributors raise prices (on product), we have to as well. That can hurt small business."

Emily Robinson, one of the four owners of Wolf Games & Models in dowtown Massillon, said inflation issues can trickle down to her business, making it a challenge to acquire popular gaming sets or merchandise from national distributors.

"It can be difficult finding products like Warhammer," she said. "The big-box stores get almost all of it, while smaller businesses like us sometimes can't get any."

Warhammer is a tabletop miniature wargame that has a medieval fantasy theme.

When large dealers institute price hikes on gaming product, smaller shops can suffer, Robinson said.

"When distributors raise prices, we have to as well," she said. "That can hurt small business."

Robinson co-owns Wolf Games & Models, 125 Erie St. N with her partner, Mike Wolfe, as well as Brittney and Mathew Wolfe. The business features fantasy-themed stock, such as board games, magic sets, toys, card games, Pokemon merchandise and car and military vehicle models.

The foursome took over the former Wings, Wheels & Waves hobby shop in December. The name change to Wolf games occurred June 24.

Brittney Wolfe said inflation has allowed the business to become more creative.

"Things are often cheaper when you buy online, so we're trying to build a community with (game nights and magic events)," she said.

The business has three employees, not including the owners. Finding quality help has not been a problem, Robinson said.

Wolf Games & Models can escape some inflation woes, according to Robinson, while citing one main business source – consignment products.

"Our consignment models (and antique toys) that are slightly used are easier for us to get and sell," she said.

A Shirtery Plus More, Krista Cox-Williams: "We don't have big pockets, you know, like bigger companies have."

Krista Cox-Williams and her husband, Jim, opened A Shirtery Plus More in Alliance in October 2021.

Their clothing store offers embroidery, silkscreen and promotional product services at 2213 W. State St. They have three employees.

Cox-Williams said the impact COVID had on small businesses remains an issue, even if the health emergency has ended. She said the supply chain delays, shipping issues, employee shortages and higher inflation are still problems, putting stress on their operations.

"We don't have big pockets, you know, like the bigger companies have," she said. "Thankfully, we have a couple big loyal customers. They understand the issues with shipping and inventory, so thank goodness we have them. They are keeping us afloat."

Cox-Williams and her husband are Marlington High graduates. They have five children and four grandchildren. Both are artistic. Jim Williams, a former Canton Repository employee, also works for a print shop in Canton. They owned a similar custom apparel store in Detroit, Mich., for five years.

"I love the business," Cox-Williams said. "I love the customers. I love the creativity. I love the artwork part of it. I do the programming part of the (business) and Jim does the artistic part. We do everything in-house. We do all the designing."

She said they are constantly shuffling around money to pay expenses, accepting free help from family and considering future choices to keep the business open. For example, Cox-Williams has routinely put in 12- to 14-hour work days to fulfill orders.

"As frustrating as it is right now, we're hoping to ride it out and eventually come out on top," she said.

Staff writers Steven M. Grazier and Benjamin Duer contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark County business owners weather inflation, economic conditions