Latino-owned businesses in Meriden are reporting a sharp drop in foot traffic, with owners blaming the slowdown on a struggling economy and heightened fear of immigration enforcement.
Ellen Parks, owner of Dynamic Hair Salon and Beauty Supply on State Street, said her walk-in retail sales have dropped by about 50% since April. While her salon services remain steady, her beauty supply store—known for hair extensions, color, eyelashes, and accessories—has seen far fewer customers.
“I have less customers coming in, it’s like a ghost town,” she said. Parks doesn’t ask clients about immigration status, but says many speak openly about hiding or returning to their home countries out of fear of ICE.
Those fears aren’t baseless. Meriden, which has a large Hispanic population, has recently seen more ICE activity. National reports show ICE is now holding a record 59,000 detainees, nearly half of whom have no criminal record. One recent case hit close to home when a Maloney High School senior was detained during a check-in, just days before his graduation.
Not all downtown businesses have seen a downturn. The Green Deli and Juice Bar next door to Parks reported steady traffic. Benny Diaz, manager of the nearby C-Town supermarket, said business slowed during the Trump era but has since stabilized.
Still, others are feeling the effects. At Latino Multiservice Agency, just next to C-Town, manager Diana Calle said fewer people are coming through the doors and the types of services requested have changed. The agency helps non-English speakers with job applications, taxes, insurance, and more.
Calle said many clients are now opting to transfer payments electronically to avoid showing up in person, and some are canceling their insurance policies altogether. “They’re talking about going home,” she said.
The decline in Latino consumer activity is significant, as Hispanic Americans represent a vital and fast-growing segment of the U.S. economy. According to NielsenIQ, Latino shoppers account for $2.4 trillion in buying power and are major drivers in industries like electronics, apparel, food, and automobiles.
Next to the C-Town, Metro by T-Mobile store manager Noel Awwad reported a 40% drop in sales nationwide. Known for serving lower-income, diverse communities, the company offers pre-paid plans and promotions like free Samsung tablets. But even those deals are no longer attracting customers like they used to.
“They are spending, but not like before,” Awwad said, pointing to both rising costs of essentials and the chilling effect of immigration enforcement.
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