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Shapiro's Delicatessen owner says government intervention, corporate cooperation is necessary to help small businesses survive

Shapiro said large corporations like Boeing have the ability to reach out to investment bankers, a luxury most small business do not have.

INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — It’s no secret the pandemic has hurt small businesses.

“It’s been disastrous,” said Brian Shapiro, president and owner of Shapiro’s Delicatessen. “The short-term concern is managing to survive.”

Shapiro said large corporations like Boeing have the ability to reach out to investment bankers, a luxury most small business do not have.

The downtown deli has a steady stream of customers flowing through, and the phones continuously ring with people making orders and checking on them.

But there are certain fixed costs and increased costs that have Shapiro concerned.

Even though the deli is using a small portion of their space, “we still have air conditioning costs. Even with shutting down lights, shutting down different systems, I haven’t seen the utility companies cut the rates,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro's Delicatessen in downtown Indianapolis. (WTHR)

“The credit card companies are outrageous. They charge 2.5% every time we do a sale,” said Shapiro.

“And the government health peoples don’t want people to use cash. And the credit card companies make more money and I don’t know what they do it for. And it needs to stop,” said Shapiro.

He says the cost of essentials needed to contain the spread of the virus have also gone up in price.

“Before the pandemic, we were paying less than a dollar for a gallon of bleach. Now, it’s anywhere from four to five dollars,” Shapiro said.

The business owner said he believes that at some point the pressure on the economy as a whole from this pandemic is going to have to force government and corporate entities to come together to help small businesses stay afloat.

“It should have happened weeks ago,” Shapiro said.

If nothing changes, “we probably have 90, 110 days (left of business),” Shapiro said.

He said he’s remaining positive because he believes something must give.

“Look, you know we’ve been through a lot of things and we’re not going to close downtown, whatever happens. We’ve been here 115 years and we’re not going anywhere,” Shapiro said. “I’m too stubborn.”

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