Sacramento's Midtown neighborhood helps shops fight inflation

FOLLOWING THE PUSH TO SHOP LOCAL IN SACRAMENTO’S MIDTOWN. THERE’S HIDDEN GEMS ON EVERY BLOCK. FROM SUCCULENT SLABS OF RIBS TO FANCY COCKTAILS AND OF COURSE, COLD CRAFT BEER. WE’RE A CRAFT BREWERY, RIGHT HERE IN MIDTOWN, AND ONE OF THE HISTORIC LOCATIONS OF THE FIRST CRAFT BREWERY IN SACRAMENTO. RAY BALLESTERO OWNS A LOCAL CRAFT BREWERY. IT’S OUR HEAD BREWER, CHRIS KEETON BOTTLING CRAFT BEER FOR SEVEN YEARS. BUT EVEN IN ITS PRIME, MIDTOWN LOCATION CAN’T PROTECT IT FROM INFLATION. PRICES OF GRAIN WENT UP. HOPS HAVE GONE UP. OUR BOTTLE COSTS. WE CAN NO LONGER GET BOTTLES IN CALIFORNIA. THEY’VE MOVED OUT. INFLATION IS REAL AND PEOPLE ARE DEFINITELY HOLDING ON TO THEIR WALLETS A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER THAN THEY HAVE THIS YEAR PARTICULARLY. IT’S BEEN PROBABLY OUR TOUGHEST YEAR. THAT’S WHY 12 DAYS OF MIDTOWN IS SO IMPORTANT. SO WE’RE REALLY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO SHOP LOCAL TO GO IN AND PARTICIPATE IN ALL THE FESTIVITIES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE AT THE SMALL BUSINESSES IN MIDTOWN FOR 12 DAYS. THE MIDTOWN ASSOCIATION IS PLANNING EVENTS TO ENCOURAGE SHOPPING LOCAL. THE ONE TONIGHT IS ALTA LARA WYSS AND EVEN WITH THE RISING COST OF GOODS FOR RAY TONIGHT ISN’T ALL ABOUT THE BOTTOM LINE. 20% OF THE PROCEEDS GO TO GO DIRECTLY TO MIDTOWN PARKS IN THE SEASON OF GIVING, RAY IS USING HIS RESOURCES TO IMPROVE MIDTOWN’S PARKS. AND THAT’S WHAT 12 DAYS OF MIDTOWN EMBODIES COMMUNITY BRINGING NEIGHBORS TOGETHER AND SUPPORTING THESE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT GIVE MIDTOWN ITS UNIQUE CHARM. BUT RAY SAYS, RIGHT NOW THEY NEED YOUR HELP. MIDTOWN WAS KIND OF HURT FROM THE PANDEMIC, AND IT’S JUST STARTING TO COME BACK. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT’S A VIBRANT COMMUNITY. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO GET OUT AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY SHOW SUPPORT TO THOSE LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT WE WANT TO SEE STAY IN BUSINESS.

Twelve Days of Midtown is back as Sacramento business owners struggle to deal with inflation.For 12 days, the Midtown Association is partnering with local boutiques, restaurants and shops to encourage people to shop locally.On Tuesday night, the event was an "ugly" holiday sweater party at Alaro Craft Brewery and Restaurant. The owner, Ray Ballestero, said events like this are crucial as small businesses fight inflation."So, prices are just going up and you can only raise your prices so much and stay open— so we're just doing everything we can to survive," said Ballestero.Ballestero has owned the Capitol Avenue brewery and restaurant for seven years. He said Sacramento's Midtown never fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and now the rising cost of goods could set them back even further. "Inflation is real, people are definitely holding onto their wallets tighter than they have this year particularly, it's been our toughest year," Ballestero said. Ballestero said for his business, which includes a brewery and restaurant, he's getting hit on both sides. He claims the cost of carbon dioxide, a key component in brewing beer, has skyrocketed this year. The price of grains has also gone up and his original bottle supplier left California meaning he now has to ship bottles in. "We've seen a lot of restaurants around us go to counter service and it's just not something I want to do because we would have to let go of a significant part of our staff, and we're unwilling to do that. So far we've maintained our entire staff," said the small business owner. "We're really encouraging people to shop local, to go and participate in all the festivities that are taking place at the small businesses in Midtown," said Vince Marchese from the Midtown Association.Twelve days of Midtown started on Dec. 1 and ends on Dec. 12. In a separate venture to support Midtown businesses, the association started the Midtown Shopping Trail. Shoppers can pick up a passport at the participating stores or the Midtown Farmers Market.From there, spending $10 or $12 will get shoppers a stamp, and for completing the passport, you'll enter the grand prize drawing for a Midtown shopping spree worth $1,200 in gift cards at local shops.Once the passport is filled out, it can be turned in at the Midtown Association Office on 1401 21st Street before Dec. 24 or at the Midtown Farmers Market info booth on Nov. 30, Dec. 7, or Dec. 14. For the full list of 12 days of Midtown events, click here. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Twelve Days of Midtown is back as Sacramento business owners struggle to deal with inflation.

For 12 days, the Midtown Association is partnering with local boutiques, restaurants and shops to encourage people to shop locally.

On Tuesday night, the event was an "ugly" holiday sweater party at Alaro Craft Brewery and Restaurant. The owner, Ray Ballestero, said events like this are crucial as small businesses fight inflation.

"So, prices are just going up and you can only raise your prices so much and stay open— so we're just doing everything we can to survive," said Ballestero.

Ballestero has owned the Capitol Avenue brewery and restaurant for seven years. He said Sacramento's Midtown never fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and now the rising cost of goods could set them back even further.

"Inflation is real, people are definitely holding onto their wallets tighter than they have this year particularly, it's been our toughest year," Ballestero said.

Ballestero said for his business, which includes a brewery and restaurant, he's getting hit on both sides. He claims the cost of carbon dioxide, a key component in brewing beer, has skyrocketed this year. The price of grains has also gone up and his original bottle supplier left California meaning he now has to ship bottles in.

"We've seen a lot of restaurants around us go to counter service and it's just not something I want to do because we would have to let go of a significant part of our staff, and we're unwilling to do that. So far we've maintained our entire staff," said the small business owner.

"We're really encouraging people to shop local, to go and participate in all the festivities that are taking place at the small businesses in Midtown," said Vince Marchese from the Midtown Association.

Twelve days of Midtown started on Dec. 1 and ends on Dec. 12. In a separate venture to support Midtown businesses, the association started the Midtown Shopping Trail. Shoppers can pick up a passport at the participating stores or the Midtown Farmers Market.

From there, spending $10 or $12 will get shoppers a stamp, and for completing the passport, you'll enter the grand prize drawing for a Midtown shopping spree worth $1,200 in gift cards at local shops.

Once the passport is filled out, it can be turned in at the Midtown Association Office on 1401 21st Street before Dec. 24 or at the Midtown Farmers Market info booth on Nov. 30, Dec. 7, or Dec. 14.

For the full list of 12 days of Midtown events, click here.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

Sacramento's Midtown neighborhood helps shops fight inflation

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