SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — For Joe Yorty and John Brady, owners of Joehn’s Coffee in San Diego, mornings start early and strong.
"We opened March of 2024,” Yorty says. “I worked at a university, local university for 18 years, and I was just ready to move on to something else, and we wanted to see more for this neighborhood."
Their shop is one of more than 4 million small businesses in California, of which some rely on federal small business loans to stay running or expand.
But with the government shutdown, the Small Business Administration isn’t processing or approving loans right now, and many offices are already running on limited staff.
That means delays for programs like the 7(a) and 504 loans, which according to CA Representative Scott Peters' office, helped local businesses secure more than $80 million just last year in parts of San Diego County.
"We haven't gotten there yet, if that does happen we hope there’s something's available out there for us," Brady says.
The pair says business has slowed a bit this week, they’re not sure it’s because of the shutdown, but they worry about what could come next.
"Federal workers may be scared about about not being able to afford things like coffee because it is a we do sell a luxury object," Brady says.
This all as The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau delayed economic reports that small businesses depend on, making it harder to plan ahead or adjust.
"You don't want to start dipping into whatever you have left in your savings," Brady adds.
While these coffee shop owners hope this shutdown ends soon, for now, they’re keeping things brewing, one cup at a time.
