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The economy will likely pick back up after the presidential election in November, when the future of the country is a bit more certain, he said.

"These recessions are cyclical," Bennett said. "It's an automatic function of the way the economy works. The economy is like anything you lay out in the sun. When it's warm, it expands. When it's cold, it contracts."

But those who act quickly could be rewarded.

Hairstylists team up

The area's two HaircolorXperts owners are merging the chain's three stores into two, having closed the location on Maynard Road in Cary last week.

"By combining our forces, we're able to get a better discount on all the hair color products we use," said Larry Dunlap, who will be one of two co-managers of the new company. "You eliminate all that weekly expense of rent and utilities and all that."

Andy's Cheesesteaks and Cheeseburgers is taking a chance by changing its name to Andy's Burgers, Shakes and Fries and giving its stores a new look.

The conversion will cost franchisees $3,000 to $15,000, depending on the store, said marketing director and franchisee Alex Ramos.

"It's a hard sell," he said. "We've had a couple of franchisees who pretty much haven't seen eye to eye on that."

But in stores that have already completed the changeover, sales are up anywhere from 2.5 percent to 28 percent, he said.

"In an industry right now that is down 10 percent, just to be up double digits is pretty much unheard of," Ramos said.

The chain of 109 stores, based in Mount Olive, is offering more specials and introducing a line of frozen custard, which has a higher profit margin than most menu items.

"We already introduced it in our Mount Olive store, and it's 10 percent of our sales at that store," Ramos said.

Real test of strength

And in the end, making your operation more profitable and less wasteful is a good thing, said Mergis Group's Bennett.

Businesses that can't do that might not have survived in the long run anyway.

"I go back to the reality that things like that are going to happen oftentimes anyway," he said. "A slowdown in the economy in many cases only speeds up the process."

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