The Future of Small Business Is In Your Hands

Politicians love to talk about how small businesses are the backbone of the American economy. They love to court small-business owners, celebrate local entrepreneurs, and tell us how important we are to our communities. But the truth is that this administration has made it increasingly difficult for businesses like ours to do what we do best: bringing joy, community, and healthy plants to the people around us.

The cost of running a small business keeps going up

It's likely you know a small business that has closed its doors this year - maybe even one of your favorite plant shops. We've been hustling like crazy to keep our little business viable, but we're certainly not immune to the rising costs of just about everything we buy wholesale. From plastic pots to nursery plants and the transportation required to get them here, our costs have gone up across the board. 

Then there's transportation. Our suppliers have to ship, courier, freight, and sometimes fly materials to us, and all of those costs have increased significantly in the past two years. Fuel prices affect the cost of getting plants and supplies into our shop, just as they affect the cost of getting ourselves around town. They also affect you directly when you order from us in the form of shipping and delivery costs.

The economic squeeze is hitting local retail

Of course, we're also affected by you, our customers, having less money in your pockets to spend as the cost of groceries, housing, gas, and just about everything else goes up.

We've done everything in our power to keep our prices as low as possible, but sales are still slower than they were two years ago. And we're far from alone. Retail businesses everywhere are feeling the squeeze, and you've probably noticed some of your favorite local shops closing their doors over the past few years.

We love being part of this neighborhood, and we're working hard to make sure we can continue to be here for a long time. But the reality is that running a small business has become considerably harder, and the economic policies coming out of Washington are part of that story.

The impact goes beyond our bottom line

This is another issue we can't stay quiet about. Our shop has been horrified by the brutality inflicted by ICE agents on communities here in San Francisco and across the country. Without getting into too much detail, these actions have personally affected our shop and the sense of safety of our staff.

This administration promised to focus on targeting criminals but instead, its immigration enforcement policies have terrorized our friends, neighbors, employees, and customers. We believe everyone deserves to feel safe in their own neighborhood, at work, and in the places they visit every day. If you support our shop, we urge you to use your voice and your vote to push back against these policies and the unchecked power of ICE.

TLDR: go vote!

The good news is that we live in a democracy. We have the power to make our voices heard and to hold our elected officials accountable. With the midterm elections this week, we encourage you to stay informed, get involved, and vote for the kind of future you want to see.