BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The lingering effects of the recent government shutdown are still being felt at local grocery stores — especially small, family-owned businesses like Blue Fig Farms, where owners say customer traffic dropped significantly throughout November. Now, they’re hoping shoppers will return.
Blue Fig Farms, located on Stockdale Highway, has been serving the Bakersfield community for just about a year. But owner Kahlid Mansour says uncertainty surrounding the shutdown began hurting business long before it officially began.
“I guess people were scared — not knowing how long the government shutdown would last,” Mansour explained.
By the end of October, rumors of a looming shutdown had already slowed sales. Then the impact intensified: the Trump administration froze funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP — known in California as CalFresh.
More than 110,000 Kern County residents rely on CalFresh benefits. For Mansour, the loss was immediate. He says CalFresh shoppers account for roughly a quarter of Blue Fig Farms’ profits.
“Our sales dropped almost 30%. When people finally got their benefits back, things got a little better — but spending still isn't where it used to be,” he said.
Walking through the aisles, Mansour points to items that haven’t been moving: canned goods, household staples, and cuts of meat that typically sell faster during the holidays.
“People weren't buying in bulk. They were just picking up the essentials they needed to get by,” he said.
With sales still lagging, Mansour worries he may eventually need to cut employee hours again. For now, he’s doing what he can to keep customers walking through the doors.
“The only way to survive right now is to lower our prices, shrink our profit margins, and put items on sale — just to get people in,” he noted.
Although the government is slowly reopening, Mansour says the damage to small businesses has been done — and recovery won’t happen overnight.
“We’ve got our hands crossed, hoping things will get better,” he said.
As the community works to bounce back, local owners emphasize that one of the most meaningful ways residents can help during an economic slowdown is simple: shop local.
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