Driving around the city of Muncie, Ball State University students will see businesses closing or with fewer cars in their parking lots as others are trying to stay open.
"Our sales are down quite a bit, even when school's in," general manager of the Long John Silvers on Tillotson Avenue, Mathiax Schindler said. "I'd say sales have gone down a quarter."
Long John Silvers isn't the only Muncie establishment feeling the crunch of the economic slump. Derek Edwards, owner of The White Rabbit, said he also noticed a downturn in his business.
"There isn't anyone who's immune to the economy," he said. "Business is down for everyone."
He's owned and operated his used book store for a few decades, and he's noticed a decline in profits as well.
"It isn't that less people are coming in, it's just when they do come, they spend less," Edwards said. "They've got less disposable income."
Edwards said he hasn't had to make employee or hourly cutbacks because he runs the shop himself, and he doesn't expect to have to close his doors anytime soon.
"I think things will improve," he said. "I've been doing this for 20 years and I've seen this before. It's like a pendulum swinging back and forth, and you've just got to ride out the rough times."
For Long John Silvers the transition into these economically hard times has been tougher.
Because there's no demand for two quick-service fish restaurants in Muncie, Long John Silvers is expected to close its doors in March.
"I'm not too worried about closing," Schindler, who needs this job to support himself, said. "The employees who worked hard and efficiently are going to be given jobs at the other store."
With employees getting paid by the hour, the focus of many establishments is efficiency and not wasting time.
Liz Hinga, general manager of the mt Cup, said she was more cautious and worked to avoid over staffing.
"We encourage our employees to work smart," she said. "They work hard when they're here."
Hinga said she credited the coffee shop's steady success to an extremely loyal customer base.
"Coffee is a luxury, but our staff works hard so that people want to come back despite the hard times," she said.
Director of the Bureau of Business Research and associate professor of economics, Michael Hicks said the economy was in a short term downturn.
He said the economic situation of Muncie was the mildest downturn in post World War II history and urged it was not a recession. The cause of this economic "dip" is the loss of housing construction and the loss of big manufacturers, he said.
"There aren't any big factories anymore, and that's a national trend," Hicks said. "There are 550 fewer people working now than there were at this time last year. Out of 50,000 people, that's only a one percent loss."
Freshman Kyle Fobe said the percentage of loss shouldn't matter.
"I know statistically that 550 people out of a job is a small percentage, but that is still 550 individuals who are now unable to provide for themselves financially," he said.
With jobs being harder to find, prices and minimum wage increasing, bills to pay, groceries to buy and gas tanks to fill, Muncie residents are waiting for their next paycheck and wondering, when this downturn will end.
"We are near the end of it," Hicks said. "Soon, we are likely to see the unemployment rates lower than they are now, which is still better than our neighbors."
Edwards said students must do their part to help the local economy in the mean time.
"Even though shopping on the Internet may be easier and more convenient," he said, "it doesn't help Muncie. Shop locally."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
