As the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary, small businesses remain a cornerstone of the American economy, employing nearly half of the private sector workforce and powering communities across the country.
On Staten Island, that story is playing out in real time for restaurant owner Rob DeLuca.
DeLuca didn’t initially plan on a career in hospitality. His father worked in construction and at one point told him to find a different path. That push led him to a job bussing tables at a local restaurant. What started as a fallback quickly became something more.
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"I worked while I went to school, got my bachelor’s and my master’s," DeLuca told FOX Business. "I almost went to law school, but the restaurant was always calling me back."
More than 20 years later, DeLuca now owns three restaurants: DeLuca's Italian Restaurant, a high-end dining establishment he opened nine years ago; Don Roberto’s, a classic Italian concept; and Rocky’s Pizza Bar. Together, they make up what he refers to as the "Delucaverse," a growing portfolio of brands rooted in the same community.
But expansion has come at a time when the economics of running a restaurant are becoming increasingly difficult.
DeLuca says prices have risen roughly 20% over the past year alone, driven largely by persistent supply chain pressures that began during the pandemic and never fully eased.
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"The food cost supply chain has gone through the roof," he said. "Suppliers bumped up prices during COVID, and we thought it would be temporary. It didn’t come back down. And now with global tensions impacting gas prices, it affects the supply chain and food prices almost instantly."
Those increases are especially difficult to navigate in a neighborhood like Staten Island, where much of his business comes from repeat customers.
"People are very price conscious right now," DeLuca said, adding that customers notice when dishes increase in cost from $13 to $19 to $22, for example.
Even so, DeLuca says the passion for the work keeps him going, despite the long hours and mounting responsibilities.
"Every day I wake up with a smile because I don’t feel like I’ve worked a day in my life," he said. "But it’s a lot of work. I have two small children I want to spend time with… and at the end of the day, the buck stops with me."
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His story reflects a broader reality for small business owners nationwide: balancing rising costs, shifting consumer behavior and the weight of running an operation where every decision matters.
Still, many are adapting. From policy shifts aimed at boosting domestic production to the growing use of artificial intelligence, now used by a majority of small businesses, owners are finding new ways to stay competitive.
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For DeLuca, the focus remains on consistency and community: keeping his restaurants running, maintaining quality and serving the customers who have supported him from the beginning.
It’s a model that has defined Main Street for generations and one that continues to evolve as small businesses navigate the challenges ahead.