‘It’s just getting complicated’ at Nifty Nut House

Steve Jahn had a trying Christmas season, and 2021 isn’t starting off a lot better for the Nifty Nut House owner.

He heard from a friend that people think his popular store is closing due to all the bare shelves at the business.

Jahn took to Facebook to address the rumor.

“Not a chance, Wichita,” he wrote.

There are a few things leading to a lack of inventory.

“A lot of vendors are four weeks out minimum,” Jahn said.

That’s on orders that used to take only days or maybe just a couple of weeks.

When orders finally arrive, a lot of times they aren’t complete.

Jahn said manufacturers can’t make products as fast as they used to because they’re waiting on orders, too, including supplies it takes to make the items that Jahn orders.

“It just compounds the issue,” he said. “I’m scrambling trying to find product where I can.”

Throw in some human error, some weather issues and the fact that Jahn and most of his family got COVID-19 early this year and, as Jahn put it, “It’s just getting complicated.”

The truth is it’s been complicated for a while now. During Christmas, Jahn faced a range of pandemic issues, such as shipping delays and a lack of boxes to do his own shipping, and nonpandemic issues, such as technical glitches with the store’s new website. It all led to something he’s not used to: frustrated customers.

“We were hammered at Christmas,” Jahn said.

Not being able to stock up hurt Christmas sales and, though he hasn’t stopped to run the numbers, probably Valentine’s Day sales, too.

“You can’t sell from an empty wagon.”

Adding to his frustration is “there’s not a lot I can do.”

“People won’t remember this in four or five years, but right now its hard not to feel it in some form or fashion,” Jahn said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

This story was originally published February 22, 2021 at 10:35 AM.