With the holiday season right around the corner,some brick-and-mortar store owners in downtown San Luis Obispo say they have been feeling the impacts of online shopping.
Kal Kastenek, owner of The Sports Forum, says he's seen fewer customers recently even though he considers the holidays a busy time.
"I've seen a decrease in the amount of people that have come, customers I've had for 30 years I haven't seen in the last four or five years. I'm sure that they're just shopping online" said Kastenek.
Kastenek also says that he's been unable to hire new employees during these months over the last couple of years due to low foot traffic.
"We haven't hired anybody in the last four or five years. As a matter of a fact, nobody even comes to apply anymore," added Kastenek.
Other stores in the area say instead of hiring new employees, they amp up hours for their current staff.
"We have our ladies that have worked here for a while, so we just up our hours to help the owner" said Christine Kimball of 2 Blondes Boutique.
Downtown SLO says some downtown businesses that are hiring for the holidays are Express, Bath & Body Works and the Shoe Palace.
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