Small Businesses Struggle with Government Shutdown, Tariffs, and ICE Raids

Impact on Local Restaurants

• 📉 Small businesses, particularly restaurants like Buen Mesa in Downey, are facing severe financial difficulties due to a combination of factors.
• 🍽️ Even on a night with high potential customer traffic, like a World Series game, the restaurant had only a handful of customers, highlighting a significant drop in patronage.
• 🗣️ The owner, Ralph Rodo, has been documenting his struggles on social media, emphasizing that eating out has become a luxury for many.

Rising Food and Utility Costs

• 📈 Food prices have dramatically increased, with ribeye steak prices nearly doubling and lemon prices tripling.
• 🥑 The cost of essential ingredients like avocados has also surged, impacting restaurants that rely on them.
• 💡 Utility costs, including electricity and gas, have seen an incredible spike, leading to embarrassing situations for business owners.

Detrimental Effects of ICE Raids

• ⚠️ ICE raids are a significant factor causing fear and deterring customers and employees from coming to work.
• 😥 The owner lost five employees due to ICE actions, including an eight-year employee who is now too afraid to return to work.
• 🤝 Ralph Rodo is seeking community support rather than handouts, encouraging people to try his restaurant's food.

Community Support and Business Challenges

• 🎁 Buen Mesa is known for giving back to the community, but planned giveaways may be scaled back due to current financial hardships.
• ✅ The restaurant's food is vouched for as delicious, despite the operational challenges.
• 🏛️ The combined pressures of government shutdowns, tariffs, and ICE raids are creating an unsustainable environment for many local businesses.