SANTA CRUZ — In recognition of Small Business Saturday and the holiday season, local business owner and Santa Cruz Downtown Commission Chair Jennalee Dahlen is urging community members to support local businesses.

“People would be shocked to know how many of our beloved Santa Cruz businesses are barely staying afloat,” said Dahlen, owner of Yōso Wellness Spa in Downtown Santa Cruz. “I hear it every single week from businesses that have been part of our fabric for decades to new ones that didn’t get the chance to thrive.”

Dahlen said that many long-standing and newly-launched businesses, such as Oswald Restaurant and Lively Kids , are quietly struggling because of increased operational costs, competition from large online retailers and the impacts of inflation on consumer spending.

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