Port Macquarie businesses are bearing the brunt of rising costs and interest rate hikes. Three businesses share their stories with journalist Lisa Tisdell.
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Butcher Marty Archer
Butcher Marty Archer rates the past two years as the hardest he has seen in his 40 years in the industry.
For two of those decades, he has owned Colonial Quality Meats in Port Macquarie.
Floods, fires and drought led to increased meat prices. Plus the business has had to deal with the pandemic, increasing electricity prices and transport costs.
"It's cruel - we've copped it probably worse than a lot," Mr Archer said.
"Stock prices were at a premium anyway and now we have to put power and transport costs on top of that."
Colonial Quality Meats' electricity bill jumped by $1000 a quarter and stock prices rose by 15 to 20 per cent in the past 12 months. The margins are thinner now.
Mr Archer recognises customers have less to spend as cost of living spirals.
He recommends cost saving measures such as considering cheaper cuts of meat and asking for steak to be cut thinner or into smaller portions, as well as looking for specials.
Sports nutrition specialist Stuart Cameron
Australian Sports Nutrition Port Macquarie owner Stuart Cameron said the cost of goods had gone up by nearly 40 per cent since the start of 2022.
"We can't really pass that onto the consumer, so we end up with a smaller margin," he said.
Delays in stock shipments also pose challenges.
Products that once took two to three days now take two to three weeks to arrive at the Horton Street business.
"We still have people coming in, but if we can't supply what they are after, that will have a flow-on effect in a couple of months' time," Mr Cameron said.
The business changed electricity providers to save money. Staffing has been reduced slightly.
It has been a "rollercoaster" since 2019 when Mr Cameron bought the specialty retail business supplying sports nutrition goods.
The business adapted with home deliveries and the JobKeeper payments during the first COVID lockdown but the second lockdown was tougher.
Hairdresser Sarah Jane Gregory
Sarah Jane Hair & Makeup launched in October 2021 leading up to the busy pre-Christmas and Christmas period.
Business owner Sarah Jane Gregory said she took a risk, with uncertainty over future lockdowns, but it paid off.
There are challenges. Last-minute cancellations due to the new COVID wave and flu season add up to lost business.
The Port Macquarie business closed for a week in January 2022 when Miss Gregory caught COVID.
Miss Gregory has introduced price rises for new bookings to cover escalating expenses.
She said interest rate rises and other expenses caused some people to weigh up whether going to the hairdresser was a luxury.
Miss Gregory said families were faced with the increased cost of living.
"For customers, it's a struggle, particularly if they have a lot of children when the price of childcare is quite expensive," she said.