Oceanside, Island Park businesses cope with economy

While Congress remains deadlocked over the most efficient way to fix the nation’s economy, business owners in Oceanside and Island Park have noted that local sales have decreased, with people having less money to spend.

“I do see that customers are spending less than they were a few years ago,” said Susan Bauman, owner of Vino 100, a wine retailer that opened three years ago in Oceanside.

Bauman noted, however, that sales tend to grow for at least the first couple years as people find out about a new business, so the drop-off for Vino 100 has not been too serious.

Michael Scully, the owner of Century 21 Realty in Island Park, said that the state of the economy has created more financial stress for those who would normally be purchasing new houses. Scully said that while the tax breaks offered by the federal government last year helped housing sales, maintaining sales this year has been more difficult. “Overall, the numbers are very similar to last year,” he said, “because we’re putting more time into it.”

For some companies, a sluggish economy is not the only obstacle to be overcome. Though Arlene Toback, owner of Chapter One books in Oceanside, declined to discuss the state of her business as a matter of policy, she acknowledged that the book industry is going through significant changes.

“What happened to Borders is just an indication of what is going on in the book industry,” Toback said. “More and more people are reading on the Kindle or Nook or iPad, so it definitely affects people’s book buying.”

Local businesses are devoting ever more time and effort to simply maintaining the level of sales they need to survive. “I definitely have been running more sales than I have in the past,” Bauman said. “Discounting, trying to get the customers in here. It’s working.”

Some businesses are in a better position to deal with the ailing economy than others. According to Eric Maltz, head of the retail division of APPCO Paper & Plastics Corp., buying products wholesale is an appealing option for customers. “I know that the people are looking to save money and get deals whenever they can,” Maltz said. “I’m very competitive in my prices. We’re passing our savings along to any consumer who wants to come in the door.”

Maltz said that over the past two years, his company has expanded to allow the public to purchase products directly in bulk, and that the demand has been high.

While business owners may use different techniques to attract customers, many have a similar opinion of the short-term economic outlook. While Scully used the word “steadiness,” Bauman put it more harshly.

“I would say no, I don’t see anything picking up,” she said.