CHANDLER, AZ — Inside the Blackberry Cafe in Chandler, owner Sekia Memishovski is seen at the front of the house seating customers. Her husband is in the back, cooking up egg sandwiches and hash browns for their regulars. Many of them are greeted by name and with a hug.
"It's family, it's family," a long-time regular, Barbara, said.
But the past few years have been hard for this family-owned business.
"There's a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that go into this business," Memishovski said.
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Like a lot of restaurants, Memishovski says they struggled during the pandemic. Then, the price for all of their savory ingredients went up.
While inflation is slowing down, new numbers from the Arizona Restaurant Association show eating out still cost about 3.6% more in June of this year compared to last. President of the Arizona Restaurant Association Steve Chucri says that is slightly lower than the national average, which is 4%. But regardless, he says it's the cost of food that's forcing places to raise their menu prices.
If you are a small business owner in need of assistance, the Small Business Administration and the Arizona Restaurant Association have resources to help.
You can watch more about the challenges small business owners are facing in the player above.
