December is a busy month for retailers, especially small businesses.
But with an unpredictable economy, as well as the mental health challenges that come with owning a business, it’s becoming harder for some small businesses to stay open.
Earlier this year, Leslie Coffee Company owner Sarah Leslie broke the news that she’ll be closing her shop at the end of the year.
As a single mom, and the sole owner of the business, she said it became too much for her to handle on her own. She said she wants to focus on raising her 6-year-old son.
“If I'm feeling drained and burned out, I'm not a very fun person to be around,” Leslie said.
“I'm not a very good mom. I'm not very patient with him when he needs me, and I'm kind of zoning out all the time.”
The shop has operated in the Delano neighborhood for five years and became nationally recognized in Food & Wine magazine. It’s also beloved by locals.
“I really hope that … beyond the coffee or beyond … the toast or whatever, that this … planted seeds for people to see the city, see themselves, and kind of … experience their community in a different way,” she said.
Across town – and at a much different price point – Nathan Regan runs Burnell’s Fine Jewelry on Rock Road. He’s been with Burnell’s since 2006 and bought the store 10 years ago from its original owner.
“I will say early on, I was working 80 hours a week for a decade,” Regan said, “and slowly I started delegating myself.”
Regan said he started as an apprentice and helped out at his family’s jewelry store in western Kansas.
He said he’s an eternal optimist, which has helped him in his decades-long career in the jewelry industry. But he acknowledges that being a small business owner can be difficult.
“There is a certain reality of stress that comes with signing people's paychecks and being responsible for other people's livelihoods,” he said.
Mental health is important to Regan. He said finding what makes him happy and not sweating the small things has helped him during his career.
“I try to practice that myself in traffic, right?” he said. “Don't get frustrated with people who don't turn on their blinker or pull out in front of you. Or why are you trying to speed so you can get to work one minute earlier than everybody else?”
Wendell Funk, president of the Wichita Independent Business Association, said these challenges make it important to support small business leaders.
“We need to do everything we can to come around these folks and try to help with resources,” Funk said, “help with assistance, help with encouragement, help with maybe some new learning, help connect them to somebody who could be helpful.”
Leslie said offering support to local small businesses is also something that shoppers can do this holiday season.
“Now's the time to like, double down,” she said, “and say, ‘I want this place to exist. So I'm going to come here every week. I'm going to buy gift cards and tell all my friends about it. And like every post that they make.’”
