Small Business Owners in Virginia's 1st District Cope With Rising Costs

In the riverside towns of Tappahannock and Warsaw, local residents are adjusting their spending habits to cope with rising prices in Virginia's 1st Congressional District.

Jeans Owens has owned the Java Jacks cafe in Tappahannock for eight years. The business, which began in 2006 in a former one-story home, has seen its input costs rise sharply. Owens reports that coffee prices have increased by more than 30 percent since 2022. The cost of to-go boxes has nearly tripled, rising from 12 cents to almost 30 cents per unit. She notes that the combined cost of a cup, lid, and straw has jumped from three cents to over 20 cents. Her monthly electricity bill, which typically ranged between $450 and $500, recently exceeded $1,000.

To manage these expenses, Owens now shops for milk and juice at Walmart early in the morning and sources fresh fruit from a local grocery store. She compares prices among three suppliers and switches vendors to find the lowest costs. She has kept some menu items at $10 to maintain affordability for her regular customers. However, she has observed changes in customer behavior, including more senior citizens splitting orders and a shift in tipping patterns that correlates with gas prices.

Owens, who also operates a coffee shop across the river in Warsaw, faces staffing challenges. She has been short-staffed at both locations for months due to rising rents in an area where the median income is approximately $50,000. She has assisted employees in finding housing, including temporary motel stays, and currently carpools five employees to work. Owens has taken on kitchen shifts to cover for missing staff, delaying her administrative duties until evenings and weekends.

Jameka Campbell, an office manager and community outreach director in Richmond County, works two jobs. She manages operations at the Menokin historical site and directs food sovereignty programs with the nonprofit Just Harvest Va. Campbell uses a detailed coupon strategy at a local Walgreens to reduce her household expenses. She tracks sales via an app, buys in bulk when items are discounted, and applies rewards across transactions. On one recent trip, she purchased toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and personal care items for $60.04, saving $27.71.

Both women are monitoring the midterm election race between Republican Rob Wittman and Democrat Shannon Taylor. Owens, who is running for the non-partisan Tappahannock town council, says she wants the winner to understand the pressures on small businesses. Campbell states she will examine candidates' past voting records and property holdings before deciding how to vote. She notes that she feels the current economic strain but draws motivation from the history of the enslaved people who once worked the land at Menokin.

Owens says she is struggling but managing as best she can. Campbell describes her financial status as in between, noting that her circumstances could change rapidly. Both women continue their daily operations while watching for changes in the local political landscape.