Small businesses continue to struggle to stay afloat

FOX 29's Jennifer Joyce has more.

NEW JERSEY - Small businesses continue to struggle to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In New Jersey, the unemployment rate was the second highest in the country for the month of June at 16.6 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

People FOX 29's Jennifer Joyce talked to in Delran say for many it’s safer to stay home right now than re-enter the workforce. Between health concerns and child care issues, small businesses like the Route 130 Diner say they're having trouble maintaining adequate staffing.

While the restaurant continues looking for employees, it’s been forced to cut back operating hours. The diner hopes it can hang on.

“Outside it says 24 hours a day but temporality we are not we don’t actually have a night cook,” owner Caner Ozdemir said. “It’s hard to get people to come into the door when they can collect unemployment. We’re trying the best we can to stay afloat."

The owners already had to close a second restaurant in Philly, the Chestnut Street Diner because it simply could not survive on takeout orders.