Corner Store Delis Feel Inflation’s Pinch

“Double, almost triple all of my items have increased by,” said Mohammad Ahmed, the owner of 73 Food Market on Decatur Street. Even though he’s raised prices his prices, the Bedford Stuyvesant store owner said that his profit has decreased since 2020.

Ahmed’s family has owned this neighborhood store for the past 50 years. They’ve provided residents with groceries, hot food, and other necessities. His experience is a snapshot of the overall economy. The Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that prices rose by 0.2 percent in the one month from August to September 2023, and increased 3.7% since last year.

Ahmed immigrated from Yemen in 1985 when he was 10. Now he says  family members who also own small stores share the same problem. “My brother at the store up the street (Seven & One Deli Corp.) is on the main store strip. He’s also next to the train station, so many people stop by and grab sandwiches or snacks over there…” The brothers find it hard to keep up with increases from their suppliers. “We don’t bother putting the prices on loafs of bread anymore. The supplier says that the price is always shifting,” he said.

Customers are feeling the pressure of raised prices the owners are struggling with. Patiance Jones is a 21-year-old college student who shops in bodegas for a quick meal and other necessities. She said, “I’ve noticed prices increasing. My favorite thing to get would be a bagel with cream cheese. It was originally a dollar but these recent months its increasing from two dollars to $2.50, which is slightly upsetting.”

Dave Edouard, another customer who shops in Ahmed’s store, said, “Whenever I come to New York, I always visit his deli.  I usually buy the chicken bacon ranch sub. The price was set at $6, but it increased to almost $9. This is getting out of hand, man.”

The prices changes caused him to watch what he buys. “These increases definitely changed my spending habits. I feel like buying the ingredients at the store and making it myself is more beneficial for me in the long run,” he said.

Higher prices have made it tough for some consumers to be faithful to their corner stores. Ahmed understands but worries. “They see that we raise our prices, then they go to the supermarket because they can find a better deal and it’s usually cheaper. Everyone has their own bills and things they pay for, I don’t blame them,” he said. The economy is still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, but recent trends in the economy has shown that there may be hope for it to be solved for both store owners and their customers.