CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Redlinski Meats is heading into one of its busiest seasons of the year, but owner Joe Redlinski said the butcher shop is having to do more with less because of the pandemic and the Blizzard of '22.
"It's been challenging," he said.
Redlinski said his staff went from about 27 workers to nine in just the past few years. He has also had to eliminate nationwide shipping and selling baked goods.
"Since the pandemic started it seems to get a little thinner every year. Harder to find qualified help to get you through the holiday," he added.
Still, with fewer hands on deck, the business is preparing for roughly 7,000 pre-orders this Easter season.
"We gotta make up for the snowstorm this easter," Redlinski said.
Now, a new proposal is looking to hike the state's minimum wage from $14.20/hour to $21.25/hour by 2027. This is a policy State Senator Sean Ryan is pushing for. 7 News' Kristen Mirand asked him Tuesday how this would impact businesses that are still reeling from the pandemic.
"When we raised the minimum wage last time about nine years ago there was a lot of concern in the business community. you're not hearing it this year because you go to a McDonald's drive-thru and there are signs up saying '$18 an hour start work immediately,' so the private sector is ahead of the law," he responded.
But, Redlinski said that hike would only push them out of business.
"If that happens it's just gonna be Target and Walmart, and goodbye any niche — anything," Redlinski said.
Susan Steffan, executive director of University at Buffalo's Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, said businesses have had to adjust to a new normal.
"It's a tough time to be a small business owner because there's just a lot coming at you and a lot you have to pay attention to," Steffan said, "So, the business hasn't returned to the way it used to be for a lot of small businesses. You know, they experienced, in some cases, rampant inflation which has led them to either increase their prices or decrease their expenses."
Redlinski said still, he is adjusting to the ever-changing industry to survive.
"But anybody that's still in business right now will work through that — they're figuring a way," he said.
