News 12 @ 11 o'clock -- October 11, 2008

Shawn Thomas has a lot more time on his hands these days, but not by choice.

"In a small store like this, you may see fifty people a day. You see maybe ten to fifteen a day now and how many are buying? Some days none," said Shawn Thomas.

So instead of filling his days with furniture sales, he spends his time cutting prices, hoping to sell anything at all.

"They got to choose from a new mattress or whether should they eat, so the big items are really on hold now," said Thomas.

And thanks to the increasingly sluggish economy, it's not just the prices getting cut.

"I went from seven employees to one employee. For deliveries, we've subcontracted out to be able to sustain and stay in business," said Thomas.

For other small business owners like John Delgenio, it's a complete shift in the type of business they do. Instead of selling new computers, he says his customers now want to make the old new again.

"A lot times they'll stick with a two or three hundred dollar repair versus spending four or five on a brand new system," said John Degenio.

And those repairs are what's keeping this business from operating in the red.

"Our sales have gone down just a little bit but then labor has gone up because of people trying to keep their old systems up and going," said John Degenio.

And while Delgenio is finding a way to make the pinch work for now, Thomas says he hopes he can just keep working.

"We're balancing everyday. Balancing the books to decide whether we stay or go because of the economy. Can we sustain six months from now to see what's going to happen?" said Thomas.

Despite the current situation, both men say they are still trying to think positive. The holiday season is right around the corner and they hope the holiday spirit finds it's way into their stores.