Still Open

STILL OPEN A Small Business Narrative — Year 2029 You have been operating your business for eleven years. Three recessions. Two Platform fee restructurings. A pandemic everyone agreed to stop discussing. You are still here. Choose your business: [[Rosa's Kitchen — Restaurant|Intro-Restaurant]] [[Petal and Stem — Florist|Intro-Florist]] [[Callahan Builds — Contractor|Intro-Contractor]] [[Diaz Auto — Mechanic|Intro-Mechanic]]

(set: $comply to 0) (set: $resist to 0) ROSA'S KITCHEN — Est. 2018 Your mother's tamale recipe is framed above the register. Rosa's Kitchen seats 22. On a good Friday you turn the room three times. Your crew: you, nephew Marco, line cook Devi, whoever shows on weekends. The tablet on the counter is blinking. Platform notification. You haven't looked at it yet. [[Look at the notification|Event1-Restaurant]]

EVENT 01 — THE PLATFORM LETTER Platform Commerce Suite has increased its merchant processing fee from 19% to 28%. Effective in 30 days. No appeal is available. You do the math on a napkin. At 28%, you lose money on every Platform order. Platform orders are 60% of your revenue — since they removed you from local search 18 months ago for "insufficient review velocity." § Platform Commerce Act, 2027 Following the Consolidation Accords, Platform acquired MealBridge, LocalFind, and PayPoint. Merchant fees were reclassified as "service continuity charges," exempt from Small Business Protection clauses. Tier 3 merchants have no rate-appeal rights. Form 7-CR average resolution time: 14 months. // This is happening now — platform fees, delivery app commissions, merchant lock-in Your move: [[Accept the new terms. You can't afford to go dark on Platform.|Event2-Restaurant-Comply]] [[Pull off Platform. Print flyers. Call every regular you have.|Event2-Restaurant-Resist]]

(set: $comply to $comply + 1) EVENT 02 — THE SWEEP You signed at 11:47 PM. You didn't tell anyone. Six weeks later Marco texts at 6 AM: don't call. lay low. tell devi too. Third enforcement sweep this quarter. You open alone. A compliance contractor arrives at 2 PM. Badge, clipboard, body camera. He wants your I-9 documentation for all current employees. He is polite. He says this is routine. § Workforce Verification Initiative, 2028 Platform payroll data now feeds directly to federal labor registries. Non-compliance triggers a 90-day Platform account freeze. "Voluntary" sweeps carry implicit compliance incentives. // This is happening now — immigration enforcement, worksite audits, labor disruption Your move: [[Hand over the documentation. The business has to survive.|Event3-Restaurant-CC]] [[Tell him you need a lawyer. Ask him to leave.|Event3-Restaurant-CR]]

(set: $resist to $resist + 1) EVENT 02 — THE SWEEP You pulled off Platform. The first week was terrifying. The second week your regulars started actually showing up — sitting down, paying cash. Someone taped a sign in your window: eat here. it counts. Then Marco texts: don't call. lay low. The sweep finds you anyway. A compliance contractor arrives at 2 PM. § Workforce Verification Initiative, 2028 Businesses that de-register from Platform are flagged for manual audit within 60 days. Non-cooperation triggers a 90-day commercial license review. // This is happening now — immigration enforcement, worksite audits, labor disruption Your move: [[Hand over the documentation. The business must survive.|Event3-Restaurant-RC]] [[Ask him to leave. Your lawyer will respond.|Event3-Restaurant-RR]]

(set: $comply to $comply + 1) EVENT 03 — THE POSITION You haven't heard from Marco in five weeks. A coalition of local restaurant owners is circulating a letter opposing the new federal cash-transaction reporting mandate — the one that logs all cash sales over $200 to a federal database. Twenty-three names you know. Your Platform account is already under review. You can't afford another flag. § Commerce Transparency Act, 2029 Food service operators must log cash transactions over $200 to the Federal Commerce Registry within 48 hours. Platform-enrolled merchants are automatically compliant. Independent operators file Form CR-7 per transaction. Non-compliance: $500-$5,000 civil penalty each occurrence. // This is happening now — political pressure on small businesses, boycott culture, compliance costs Your move: [[Sign the letter.|Ending-Restaurant-Beloved]] [[Stay off it. You can't fight everything at once.|Ending-Restaurant-Integrated]]

(set: $comply to $comply + 1) (set: $resist to $resist + 1) EVENT 03 — THE POSITION The auditor left. Devi has been running the kitchen alone. She brought her sister in on weekends without asking. You said thank you. The coalition letter arrives: twenty-three restaurant owners opposing the cash-transaction reporting mandate. You think about Marco. You think about what signing means, and what not signing means. § Commerce Transparency Act, 2029 Cash reporting requirements fall hardest on businesses whose customers rely on cash. Platform merchants receive automatic exemption. Independent operators bear the full compliance burden. // This is happening now — political pressure on small businesses, compliance asymmetry Your move: [[Sign the letter.|Ending-Restaurant-StillOpen]] [[Stay quiet. Protect what you have left.|Ending-Restaurant-Integrated]]

(set: $resist to $resist + 1) (set: $comply to $comply + 1) EVENT 03 — THE POSITION The documentation didn't help Marco. You found out from his cousin. He's still in the city, somewhere. You went off Platform, came back at 28%, and you're barely breaking even. But people come in. Some leave cash with a note. The coalition letter arrives. The mandate would flag most of the people keeping you alive this month. § Commerce Transparency Act, 2029 Platform merchants are exempt from the cash mandate. Independent operators are not. The gap in compliance burden has accelerated consolidation. // This is happening now — political pressure on small businesses, compliance asymmetry Your move: [[Sign the letter.|Ending-Restaurant-StillOpen]] [[You can't. Not right now.|Ending-Restaurant-Surviving]]

(set: $resist to $resist + 1) EVENT 03 — THE POSITION You held the line on the audit. Your Platform account is frozen. You are entirely off Platform — by choice and circumstance. The neighborhood organized a weekly community dinner. You're not making money. You're cooking. The coalition letter is on the counter. Twenty-three names. § Commerce Transparency Act, 2029 The cash mandate has been challenged in federal court. Injunctive relief denied March 2029. Estimated resolution: 2031. // This is happening now — political pressure, legal challenges, small business advocacy Your move: [[Sign it. You've come this far.|Ending-Restaurant-Beloved]] [[Wait for the court case.|Ending-Restaurant-StillOpen]]

OUTCOME: INTEGRATED Rosa's Kitchen is open. The Platform dashboard shows four-and-a-half stars and a green revenue indicator. The tamale recipe is above the register. Some nights you look at it and feel something. Some nights you don't. This is what surviving looks like. You've decided that's enough. [[Play again|Start]]

OUTCOME: STILL OPEN You don't know for how long. The math doesn't fully work. The 90-day review window is real. Devi is in the kitchen. There's a family at table six. The tamale recipe is above the register. You are tired. You are still here. For a lot of people, those two things are the same. [[Play again|Start]]

OUTCOME: SURVIVING You don't sign things. You don't say things. You watch what others do and learn from their mistakes. Rosa's Kitchen keeps its doors open. Some nights it feels like wisdom. Some nights it feels like something else. [[Play again|Start]]

OUTCOME: THE BELOVED RUIN You signed. Your Platform account is suspended. Two coalition restaurants have already closed. The neighborhood ran a tamale fundraiser. They stood in line in the heat. You are probably closing. Everyone knows it. They keep coming in anyway, like their presence is an argument. Maybe it is. [[Play again|Start]]

(set: $comply to 0) (set: $resist to 0) PETAL AND STEM — Est. 2017 Calluses from wire and thorns. Petal and Stem has been here twelve years. You source from Dutch importers and a local grower named Yael — three greenhouses outside the city. This morning: 47 orders to fill and a message from your Colombian broker. [[Read the message|Event1-Florist]]

EVENT 01 — THE TARIFF NOTICE Your Colombian broker is apologetic and specific. Roses: up 34%. Carnations: up 41%. Tropical varieties: up 55-70%. Your wholesale price sheet is now fiction. You have a wedding in six weeks — 200 guests, full floral package, contract signed at last year's pricing. § Reciprocal Trade Rebalancing Act, 2027 Tariffs on agricultural imports from Colombia, Ecuador, and the Netherlands followed pharmaceutical trade disputes. Florals were classified as "non-essential luxury goods." No domestic production offset was included. The US imports approximately 80% of its cut flowers. // This is happening now — import tariffs, floral industry, supply chain disruption Your move: [[Contact the couple. Renegotiate the contract.|Event2-Florist-Comply]] [[Absorb the loss on this wedding. Cut costs elsewhere.|Event2-Florist-Resist]]

(set: $comply to $comply + 1) EVENT 02 — THE SWEEP The couple agreed — mostly. You lost the ceremony arch to a Platform-preferred vendor with cheaper imports you suspect are mislabeled. You kept the reception. It left a bad taste. Then Yael calls: flat voice, her greenhouse crew didn't come in. Third enforcement sweep in eight months. Your local supply just dropped 60%. She wants to know if you can hold the account through the gap. Maybe a month, maybe six weeks. § Agricultural Labor Verification Program, 2028 Greenhouse operations under 50 employees subject to spot audits without notice. Average crew reductions post-sweep: 40-60%. No federal support exists for ornamental horticulture. // This is happening now — immigration enforcement, agricultural labor, small growers Your move: [[Hold Yael's account. You'll manage with imports.|Event3-Florist-CC]] [[You need reliable supply. You can't promise that.|Event3-Florist-CR]]

(set: $resist to $resist + 1) EVENT 02 — THE SWEEP You took the loss on the wedding. Making it up in volume and longer hours — cutting your own pay. Your assistant Lena noticed but hasn't said anything. Yael calls on a Wednesday. Flat voice. Her crew didn't come in. You've been leaning on her for 30% of inventory. That 30% is gone tomorrow. § Agricultural Labor Verification Program, 2028 Post-sweep recovery time for small growers: 6-10 weeks. No federal bridge supply program exists for ornamental horticulture. // This is happening now — immigration enforcement, agricultural labor, small growers Your move: [[Hold Yael's account. She has always come through.|Event3-Florist-RC]] [[You're stretched too thin. You can't carry the risk.|Event3-Florist-RR]]

(set: $comply to $comply + 1) EVENT 03 — THE POSITION Running on imports at tariff rates. On paper: fine. Then a client wants flowers for a political fundraiser. The cause is divisive. Half your clients would applaud you. Half would never walk in again. The job pays very well. § Commercial Service Non-Discrimination Framework, 2028 Prohibits service refusal based on political affiliation in 31 states. Penalties for documented refusal: up to $50,000. Platform's algorithm flags accounts with controversy spikes for review. // This is happening now — service refusal cases, political polarization, small business pressure Your move: [[Take the job. Business is business.|Ending-Florist-Integrated]] [[Decline. Some things aren't worth the margin.|Ending-Florist-StillOpen]]

(set: $comply to $comply + 1) EVENT 03 — THE POSITION You cut Yael loose. Lena looked at you for a long moment and went back to work. Import-only now. Raised prices 18%. Lost four regulars. Gained two corporate accounts. It balances, mostly. The political event request arrives through Platform's portal. Good money. The client's politics are polarizing. Two florists in other cities went viral recently — one for accepting, one for declining. Neither story ended well for the business. § Commercial Service Non-Discrimination Framework, 2028 Political viewpoint is a protected category in 31 states. Platform's "Community Standards" algorithm flags controversy spikes for review. // This is happening now — service refusal cases, political polarization, small business pressure Your move: [[Accept. You can't afford the principle.|Ending-Florist-Integrated]] [[Decline.|Ending-Florist-Beloved]]

(set: $resist to $resist + 1) EVENT 03 — THE POSITION You held Yael's account. She came back in five weeks. Cost you two painful credit card payments and a month of no salary. Lena started coming in early without being asked. The political event request arrives. Good money. Your name in the program. § Commercial Service Non-Discrimination Framework, 2028 Florists have been at the center of landmark service refusal cases since 2015. The 2028 framework limits conscience exemptions while expanding political affiliation protections. Small business owners report pressure from both directions. // This is happening now — service refusal cases, political polarization, small business pressure Your move: [[Take it. You've earned a slow week.|Ending-Florist-StillOpen]] [[Decline. You know who you are.|Ending-Florist-Beloved]]

(set: $resist to $resist + 1) EVENT 03 — THE POSITION You let Yael go, went import-only, raised prices. Lost regulars. Gained Platform leads. The trade doesn't feel worth it. The political request arrives at the worst possible time, which is to say: now. § Commercial Service Non-Discrimination Framework, 2028 Service refusal cases adjudicated under both free exercise and anti-discrimination frameworks. Legal interpretation varies by state. Cases typically take 2-4 years to resolve. // This is happening now — service refusal cases, political polarization, small business pressure Your move: [[Accept the job.|Ending-Florist-Integrated]] [[Decline.|Ending-Florist-StillOpen]]

OUTCOME: STILL OPEN The cooler hums. Orders on the board. Lena is at the counter. A woman comes in for something for her mother. You help her pick. You know what her mother would like. The work is the work. You are still doing it. [[Play again|Start]]

OUTCOME: INTEGRATED Petal and Stem is profitable. The flowers are beautiful. You make sure of that. You heard Yael closed the greenhouses. You sent a card. You tell yourself the flowers still matter. It might. You've decided to believe it does. [[Play again|Start]]

OUTCOME: THE BELOVED RUIN You declined. The client left a review. Your Platform account was flagged for "community standards review." Yael sent dahlias with a note: good. Your regulars have been coming in. One woman brought a casserole. You are probably not fine. You are entirely yourself. In 2029, that distinction still means something. [[Play again|Start]]

(set: $comply to 0) (set: $resist to 0) CALLAHAN BUILDS — Est. 2016 Your truck has 210,000 miles and you keep it maintained. Your crew of five has been together six years. You know their kids' names. You show up and do what you said you'd do — which turns out to be rarer than it should be. This morning: a job site, a materials order, and a notification from the Federal Licensing Portal. [[Check the notification|Event1-Contractor]]

EVENT 01 — THE PLATFORM LETTER Your general contractor license now requires annual renewal through the Federal Licensing Platform. The renewal fee is $1,800. Last year it was $400 through the city. You can pay it — it'll hurt. Or you can dispute it: 8-14 months resolution, license listed "under review," you cannot bid public work in the meantime. § Professional License Modernization Act, 2027 Municipal licensing was transferred to the Federal Licensing Platform (FLP), majority-owned by investment firms with interests in prefab construction. Independent contractor fees increased 340% on average. Corporate contractors over $10M annual revenue receive volume discount schedules. // This is happening now — occupational licensing fees, regulatory capture, small business costs Your move: [[Pay the fee. Keep working.|Event2-Contractor-Comply]] [[File the dispute. This is wrong and someone has to push back.|Event2-Contractor-Resist]]

(set: $comply to $comply + 1) EVENT 02 — THE SWEEP You paid. You're licensed. On a kitchen renovation with a penalty clause. Tuesday: two of your crew don't come in. Miguel texts at 7 AM: staying home. sorry. Third enforcement sweep this quarter. Down two people on a timed contract. A compliance officer shows up at 2 PM. Your paperwork is mostly in order. One subcontractor has a documentation gap. § Worksite Verification Initiative, 2028 General contractors must maintain E-Verify enrollment for all crew including day laborers and subcontracted personnel. Non-compliant worksites face stop-work orders and license suspension. // This is happening now — immigration enforcement, worksite audits, construction labor Your move: [[Cooperate fully. Hand over everything.|Event3-Contractor-CC]] [[Cooperate on your direct employees. The sub handles their own paperwork.|Event3-Contractor-CR]]

(set: $resist to $resist + 1) EVENT 02 — THE SWEEP Your license shows "under review." Lost two public bids already because of it. Running entirely on private residential work and referrals. Wednesday: three of your crew don't come in. Sweep. Miguel texts at 7 AM: staying home. sorry. A compliance auditor arrives that afternoon. He was clearly sent specifically for you. § Worksite Verification Initiative, 2028 Dispute filers are 3.4x more likely to receive a worksite audit within 90 days. The FLP shares license status data with federal enforcement databases. // This is happening now — immigration enforcement, regulatory retaliation, small business risk Your move: [[Cooperate. You can't afford more scrutiny.|Event3-Contractor-RC]] [[Make him show his authority. You know your rights.|Event3-Contractor-RR]]

(set: $comply to $comply + 1) EVENT 03 — THE POSITION Audit went smoothly. Kitchen finished on time. Penalty avoided. A developer you've worked with before has a large commercial project. The contract includes a political affiliation disclosure requirement. You must certify your business has not supported a list of organizations. One of them is the union your electrician belongs to. § Federal Contractor Integrity Certification, 2029 Vendors in the federal supply chain must certify political non-affiliation as a condition of contract eligibility. The covered organization list updates quarterly. Violations: contract cancellation, 5-year debarment, civil penalties. Retroactive enforcement based on past affiliations has been applied in 23 cases. // This is happening now — political loyalty tests, contractor certification, labor rights Your move: [[Sign the certification. It's just paperwork.|Ending-Contractor-Integrated]] [[Walk away from the contract.|Ending-Contractor-StillOpen]]

(set: $comply to $comply + 1) EVENT 03 — THE POSITION Auditor filed "inconclusive." Secondary review window. License still active but flagged. The developer contract arrives anyway. The political affiliation certification clause is there. Your lawyer says it's likely enforceable in this state. She says a lot of her clients are signing it. She says it's your call. § Federal Contractor Integrity Certification, 2029 Vendors found in violation after signing face contract cancellation, 5-year debarment from federal supply chain, and civil penalties. // This is happening now — political loyalty tests, contractor certification, labor rights Your move: [[Sign it. You need the work.|Ending-Contractor-Integrated]] [[Don't sign it.|Ending-Contractor-Beloved]]

(set: $resist to $resist + 1) EVENT 03 — THE POSITION You cooperated. Audit cleared. Dispute still pending at month four — ten to go. Running on private work and the referral network. The developer contract arrives. You need it. You sit in your truck in the driveway and read the certification clause four times. Your electrician has been with you for seven years. His union is on the list. § Federal Contractor Integrity Certification, 2029 Subcontractors are not required to sign the certification, but their organizational affiliations may trigger a vendor's violation. The NFIB called this "the most significant intrusion into small business hiring autonomy in decades." // This is happening now — political loyalty tests, contractor certification, labor rights Your move: [[Sign it. Deal with the rest later.|Ending-Contractor-Surviving]] [[Walk.|Ending-Contractor-StillOpen]]

(set: $resist to $resist + 1) EVENT 03 — THE POSITION You made the auditor show his documentation. He did. You cooperated minimally and correctly. He left looking annoyed. Your lawyer said you did everything right. Dispute still pending. License still flagged. Running entirely on referrals and private residential work. The developer contract arrives. The certification clause. Three other contractors told you about it this month. Two signed. One didn't say much. § Federal Contractor Integrity Certification, 2029 340,000 small businesses signed the Certification in its first year. The Associated General Contractors of America declined to take an official position. // This is happening now — political loyalty tests, contractor certification, labor rights Your move: [[Sign it.|Ending-Contractor-Integrated]] [[Don't sign it.|Ending-Contractor-Beloved]]

OUTCOME: STILL OPEN You didn't sign. The developer found someone else. Your truck has 214,000 miles. Miguel came back. The referral network is holding. You finish jobs on time. You do what you said you'd do. In a world full of certifications and flags, that turns out to still be worth something. Not everything. But something. [[Play again|Start]]

OUTCOME: INTEGRATED You signed. The project went well. Two more lined up. You've been finding reasons to use a different sub on the federal-adjacent work. Your electrician hasn't asked. You haven't said anything. You tell yourself you're protecting him. Some days you almost believe it. [[Play again|Start]]

OUTCOME: THE BELOVED RUIN You didn't sign. You told the developer why. Three other contractors heard about it. Two bought you a beer. One said: I wish I hadn't signed. Your electrician doesn't know what you did for him. You'll probably never tell him. That's fine. You know. [[Play again|Start]]

OUTCOME: SURVIVING You signed. You restructured how you use your electrician on certain jobs. It's complicated and you don't think about it too hard. Work through end of year. Some nights you sit in the truck a few minutes before going inside. Probably just tired. [[Play again|Start]]

(set: $comply to 0) (set: $resist to 0) DIAZ AUTO — Est. 2015 You can diagnose an engine by sound. This is not a small thing. People bring you their cars, trust you, and leave not worried. That's the job. Six bays. You run three — you, nephew Tomas, and Pris, who is better at electrical than anyone you've hired. This morning: a parts order that came in wrong and a notice from your supplier network. [[Check the supplier notice|Event1-Mechanic]]

EVENT 01 — THE PARTS NOTICE Your primary parts supplier has increased their tariff surcharge. Again. The new rate brings your effective cost on common parts up 38% since 2026. Brake rotors, sensors, filters, alternators. The parts that keep old cars running are the parts that got hit hardest. Most of your customers are working people driving old cars. You have been avoiding a rate increase for a year. § Reciprocal Trade Act, 2027 — Automotive Parts Schedule 25-40% tariffs on parts from Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea, and Germany. US domestic production has not scaled to meet demand. Average age of vehicles on US roads: 14.2 years. Dealerships receive OEM supply chain exemptions. Independent shops do not. // This is happening now — auto parts tariffs, supply chain disruption, independent repair shops Your move: [[Raise your rates. The math is the math.|Event2-Mechanic-Comply]] [[Hold the rates. Find somewhere else to cut.|Event2-Mechanic-Resist]]

(set: $comply to $comply + 1) EVENT 02 — THE CUSTOMER You raised rates 22%. Lost four regulars in the first month. Gained two from a dealership that closed. Doesn't balance. Tomas disappears for a Thursday — sweep, texts you, back Monday, quieter. You give him the week's best shifts. He knows why. Mrs. Okonkwo brings in the Accord. Transmission job. $1,400 at your new rates. She drives for a grocery delivery service. She asks if you can work with her on the price. § Labor Verification Protocols, Automotive Sector, 2028 Automotive service businesses classified as "essential mobility infrastructure" are subject to enhanced workforce audits. Enforcement disproportionately affects independent shops. Dealerships with OEM programs face minimal disruption. // This is happening now — immigration enforcement, labor disruption, working-class customers Your move: [[Give her the honest estimate. You can't subsidize repairs.|Event3-Mechanic-CC]] [[Work with her. Cut your labor rate for this job.|Event3-Mechanic-CR]]

(set: $resist to $resist + 1) EVENT 02 — THE CUSTOMER You held the rates. Cutting from your own pay, from supply orders, from hours. Pris noticed. She hasn't said anything. Tomas disappears for three days. Sweep. He comes back Tuesday, quieter than usual. You give him the week's busiest shifts. You don't say why. He knows why. Mrs. Okonkwo brings in the Accord. Transmission job. At your held rates: $1,100. At the honest cost of what this job is taking from you: more. She asks if you can work with her. § Labor Verification Protocols, 2028 Independent shops rely heavily on technicians from immigrant communities. Regional enforcement sweeps have caused average labor disruptions of 15-25% in metro markets. No federal workforce continuity support exists for affected small businesses. // This is happening now — immigration enforcement, labor disruption, working-class customers Your move: [[Give her a fair price. Something that actually works for her.|Event3-Mechanic-RC]] [[Give her the honest number. You can't carry it.|Event3-Mechanic-RR]]

(set: $comply to $comply + 1) EVENT 03 — THE CERTIFICATION Mrs. Okonkwo paid the full estimate. She thanked you. She hasn't been back. The city's EV transition program now mandates that all shops serving city fleet vehicles obtain EV Certification through the Federal Licensing Platform. Cost: $3,200. Training: 40 hours of weekday classes. Without it, you lose the city fleet maintenance contracts you've held for six years. Pris already has her EV cert — she got it two years ago, on her own time. She's been waiting for you to ask her. § EV Readiness and Workforce Transition Act, 2028 Dealerships with OEM EV programs receive automatic provisional certification. Independent shops must complete the full application and training cycle. A small business waiver program was proposed and not funded. // This is happening now — EV transition costs, independent repair shops, regulatory asymmetry Your move: [[Pay for the certification. Pris leads the training.|Ending-Mechanic-StillOpen]] [[Drop the city contracts. Run without them.|Ending-Mechanic-Beloved]]

(set: $resist to $resist + 1) EVENT 03 — THE CERTIFICATION You cut your rate for Mrs. Okonkwo. She got her car back. She left a review that made Pris tear up a little. The EV certification notice arrives the same week. $3,200. 40 hours of weekday training. City fleet contracts on the line. Pris already has her cert and has never once mentioned it to make you feel bad. § EV Readiness and Workforce Transition Act, 2028 Independent repair facilities that lose city fleet contracts report average revenue reductions of 12-18%. The certification cost has been identified as the primary barrier for shops under $1.5M in annual revenue. FLP financing carries 11% interest. // This is happening now — EV transition costs, independent repair shops, regulatory asymmetry Your move: [[Get certified. Pris runs the shop while you train.|Ending-Mechanic-StillOpen]] [[Be the shop for people who can't afford the dealership.|Ending-Mechanic-Beloved]]

(set: $resist to $resist + 1) EVENT 03 — THE CERTIFICATION You gave Mrs. Okonkwo a price that worked for her. She told two people. They came in. One of them cried in the waiting room — not about the car, just generally. You gave her a cup of coffee and didn't ask. The EV certification notice comes. Pris has been expecting it longer than you have. The math is tight. The city contracts matter. § EV Readiness and Workforce Transition Act, 2028 By 2029, approximately 23% of vehicles in urban US markets are fully electric. Independent shops without EV certification lose an average of 31% of eligible service work to certified dealerships. Consolidation in the independent repair sector has accelerated. // This is happening now — EV transition costs, independent repair shops, regulatory asymmetry Your move: [[Get certified. Pris has already offered to cover while you train.|Ending-Mechanic-StillOpen]] [[Be the shop the system is leaving behind.|Ending-Mechanic-Beloved]]

(set: $comply to $comply + 1) EVENT 03 — THE CERTIFICATION Mrs. Okonkwo paid in installments — she asked, you said yes without planning to. She's been sending her neighbors. You are aware this is not a business strategy. The EV certification notice arrives. Pris puts it on your desk without comment. The city contracts are on the line. You are already running thin. § EV Readiness and Workforce Transition Act, 2028 The EV Readiness Act has been called "a dealership protection bill" by the Independent Garage Owners Coalition. 40,000+ public comments were submitted by independent repair operators. The final rule was unchanged. // This is happening now — EV transition costs, independent repair shops, regulatory asymmetry Your move: [[Get the certification. Pris will help.|Ending-Mechanic-Surviving]] [[Be the shop that's still here for people the city forgot.|Ending-Mechanic-Beloved]]

OUTCOME: STILL OPEN You got certified. Pris ran the shop while you trained. She was better at it than she let on. The bays are full. You are tired in the specific way that comes from doing work that matters. Tomas got his own certification last month. He didn't tell you he was doing it. He just showed you the card. [[Play again|Start]]

OUTCOME: THE BELOVED RUIN You skipped the cert. Lost the city contracts. What you have instead: a waiting room that's always got someone in it. People who can't afford the dealership, can't afford to be without a car for a week. You are the shop that takes those calls. Pris took a pay cut voluntarily. You told her not to. She did it anyway. Tomas started bringing food on Fridays. You don't know if this is sustainable. You know it's necessary. [[Play again|Start]]

OUTCOME: SURVIVING You got the certification. You kept the city contracts. The numbers work. You think about Mrs. Okonkwo sometimes. You think about Tomas laying low for three days and coming back quieter. You keep six bays running. People bring you their cars and trust you and leave not worried. That part is the same. You are holding onto that part. [[Play again|Start]]