Businesses feel impact of people choosing to fill up tanks over non-essential services

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHAM) — The rise in gas prices is hurting more than just wallets. Small businesses are seeing the impacts of people choosing to fill up their tanks over spending money on non-essential services.

While getting your hair done or a manicure is nice, it's not a necessity, especially on the heels of the pandemic, business owners are concerned.

A New York hair salon and spa owner and is dealing with the drop in customer traffic.

“Unfortunately, that’s the reality, first it hit our industry by the pandemic, and we shut down,” said Mila Muiakai, owner of Jolie’s salon and spa in Rochester, New York.

She says after seeing the rise in gas prices, the number of people walking through her doors has dwindled.

“We’re seeing a lot of changes of course a lot of the clients cut back the services, aesthetic services like facials that’s something they’re cutting out of their priority,” said Muiakai.

Muiakai is dealing with attacks coming from all sides, with family back in Ukraine and trying to run her business here in the states, she says she’s trying to remain strong.

"My skills of surviving just to come here 30 years ago and to hear what’s going on right now, that helps me a lot, that’s skills of surviving and will always be with me. I try to do the best, first of all I have a huge support from my team these people are amazing. They care about me they want to make sure that I’m ok," said Muiakai.

When prices on things like fuel increase, George Conboy from Brighton Securities say non-essential expenses get cut, and people get creative.

“Back in the early 70s during the first oil shock I can remember families carpooling more, I can remember families combining trips, we won’t go to the grocery store today and the hairdresser tomorrow maybe we’ll save up errands and go to two or three. So, families will look for ways to cut down,” said Conboy.

Muiakai hopes things will return to normal soon so the community can take a sigh of relief, but until then she says she’ll remain positive for the community.