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Danna L. DiElsi, floral designer and owner of The Silk Touch has been on Main Street for 13 years. “I have noticed a major difference since the economic downturn.” DiElsi relies on a lot of corporate business, especially around the holidays. “I”™ve lost a lot of my corporate business that had to cancel their holiday orders. One of the companies was an oil company. I was really excited about that job. People who call to cancel their orders are even telling me it”™s because of the economy. Some days I”™m afraid to answer the phone.”
DiElsi has started to do jobs with no compensation just to keep her name out there. “It”™s a lot of work for no money. I”™m hoping that after the election things will get a little better. People are scared. Everything is up in the air and people are floundering. I see a lot of shops going out of business. It”™s so hard to hold on. And business expenses don”™t get better, you know, they get worse. I really am hoping that Obama wins the election. He knows what it”™s like to struggle. I so admire that because that is how I am right now. He has the presence of a president. I hope he keeps his promise to help the middle class. We really do need the help. With McCain it”™s going to be the same as Bush. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. We can”™t take four more years of a Republican in the White House.”
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Norwalk resident Bernadette Miles opened Gisele Total Hair and Beauty on Main Street over a year ago. She is uncertain about the future of her business. “You don”™t know what”™s going to happen. You just have to take it as it comes.” She plans to vote for Barack Obama on Tuesday. “He seems more convincing and believable. He doesn”™t sugarcoat stuff. I hope he does what he says he”™s going to do. We definitely need a change.” Miles”™ daughter just turned 18 and she is voting for the first time for Obama. Monica Rivera, also a Norwalk resident was getting her hair rinsed by Miles and admitted this was her first year voting too. Her mother made her register just so she could vote for Obama.
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Melanie Desrosiers, a Ridgefield resident works in advertising in Norwalk. At a lunch meeting at Pane e Panini Cafe on Washington Street she admitted she is also going to vote for Barack Obama. “I am rockin”™ the vote for Obama. It”™s exciting, there”™s an element of change and it”™s something we”™ve been waiting for.” She finds the idea of public service Obama has espoused as a way of paying for education inspiring. As far as the economy goes Desrosiers says it”™s hard to say right now who will be stronger. “I hope to think Obama will be.”
Desrosiers colleague, New York City resident Kevin Hayes, says all the talk of socialism regarding Obama is exaggerated. “He”™s going to be surprisingly conservative,” he said. Another colleague, Yonkers resident Donna Edwards is leaning toward Obama but is still undecided. “I”™m really debating who would be better for the economy,” she said. It”™s definitely affecting the advertising business. The first thing to go in a bad economy is the advertising budget.” Edwards is a registered Democrat but feels she still needs to see more. “Look, McCain is absolutely a change from Bush, too,” she said, though she”™s not a huge fan of Sarah Palin. “If he”™d picked someone else I might be more open toward him at this point. Obama is stronger on women”™s rights. But I”™m still trying to educate myself more. I”™ll take McCain over what we have now. Either way, a change is needed.”
At R&G Grocery and Deli on the corner of Wall Street and Main, Stamford resident Maudalena Guevara is leaning toward Obama but is inspired by the down to earth rhetoric of Sarah Palin. There are pros and cons with both candidates, she said. Guevara, who works part time at a restaurant as well, sees a dramatic decrease in the customers that are going out to eat but a steady business at the budget convenience store she works at by day. “Obama is young but he”™s gaining more experience. There are some things I agree with McCain on though. I like the way Palin speaks and I think Obama focuses on getting the Latin vote too much. Said Guevara, who is Latin, “I think everyone”™s voice should count equally.”
New Canaan resident Sang Lee, an employee at Van Buren Cleaners on the corner of Main Street and Wall Street says business is not as good as last year and is worried about hard times to come. Lee likes Barack Obama for president. “He wants to take care of working class people.”
Norwalk resident Douglas Frasier sells medical supplies at his Main Street shop. His business, started in 1967, has taken a hit since the economic downturn in September. “Oh yeah, I”™ve noticed a difference. We”™re not as recession proof as everyone thinks we are. People with elective surgeries aren”™t getting them done because their insurance just isn”™t paying.” He”™s hoping to survive the hit. “Hopefully we”™ll weather this storm.”
Rick Ringel, owner of Norwalk Natural Foods, has been at his Main Street location for eighteen and a half years. “What business?” he says sarcastically. His business has been steady for the last few years until it tapered off a month ago.” I”™ve definitely noticed a change this month.” His business, which has been growing for the last few years, has slowed for the first time in the month of October. “There”™s no one in the streets and people are cutting back on driving. Where is it all headed? Nobody can predict it. Everyone should be worried.”
