For some grocery stores in the urban core, up to 60% of their business comes from shoppers using federal food benefits. A SNAP shutdown just before Thanksgiving and Christmas could be particularly bad for businesses.

In Kansas and Missouri, some 843,000 people receive SNAP food assistance. All of them shop at a local grocery store.

“I'm going to say 70% of our customers are using food stamps of some kind,” said Chris Kavadas, manager of Happy Foods at 31st Street and Norton Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri.

That accounts for 60% of the store’s business.

Kavadas said the timing is terrible.

“Normally I would be filling this store full for Thanksgiving and Christmas, getting things all stacked up. We've cut way back on what we were ordering so far.”

SNAP accounts for 12% of all grocery

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