Brookfield

Local deli and bakery overwhelmed by rising operating cost

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According to a survey done by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, nine in 10 businesses in Connecticut have seen increase cost.

In Brookfield, local deli and bakery Dash N' Dine said it’s struggling to stay on its feet less than a year after opening.

“We have not seen a penny since we opened,” owner Danitza Roche said.

Danitza and her husband Timothy Roche quit their jobs and took out money from a 401k account to open the deli and bakery business.

The married couple said they opened in March, but since then, rising operating cost have eaten up their profits.

“A case of eggs that normally cost $75, 30 dozen eggs, is now $217,” she said. “I make egg sandwiches every single day, but I don’t want to raise the prices.”

She said they’re not making a profit and often must reach into their personal savings account to pay employees and cover other expenses. The couple also pointed to high utilities cost and a pile of bank fees.

“We are first time business owners. Nobody gives you a manual,” Roche said. “We’re only working for Eversource to pay them. Sometimes it’s more expensive than the rent.”

She said in the summer time, her bill has been as high as $2,000 and the couple said they receive several overdraft fees from the bank at a time.

“I get one, two insufficient funds, we understand banking,” Timothy Roche said. “But when you get eight in one day, on the same day that you’ve had deposits.”

They say they don’t know how much longer they can sustain the business, and they might have to close if they can’t get more support.

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