Valdosta businesses prosper as state inflation rates begin to slowly decline

• Georgia's Consumer Price Index dropped 0.4% last month, easing inflation pressures.
• The average gas price for the region is $3.14 a gallon.
• Watch the video to see how neighbors have bounced back since inflation.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT

If you live in Valdosta, you may be familiar with Rayshanna Byron, owner of Blooming Body Contour.

"I specialize in helping women to regain their confidence through weight loss and weight gain supplements."

She opened back in 2021, right in the middle of COVID.

She is in a great spot today, focusing more on her product line.

"I now have weight loss and weight gain, So whatever your body goal is, I can help you reach it. I have fat burner supplements, detox, appetite suppressants, appetite enhancers, and things like that."

And she's not the only one thriving.

The Consumer Price Index decreased by 0.4 percent compared to the previous month, with food and transport being the main categories going down.

Think about it this way: Gas same time last year in our region was $3.22, last month it was $3.32, and now? The average is $3.14.

Cheaper products and supplies means more disposable income, which Justin Stephens, owner of Berta's Pizza Kitchen tells me means more action for our local businesses.

"We were having hard time after COVID, and the love we were shown by our community really showed us that we were in the right place."

And with things looking up, Rayshanna tells me she has a...

"...a lot of things in store that I'm excited about... I have a new location coming soon."

Valdosta ended July with 56,700 job, a slight bump from the previous year. In Valdosta, I’m Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.