Small business owners in Sacramento plan to hold on tight in 2010 for what appears to be another tough year.

Several said they're doing their best just to keep their businesses going as the recession continues to waterboard the local economy. The owners of a local chain of taquerias said they will do what it takes to keep their heads above water for the next year.

"That's been my theme since 2008: survival mode," said José Cortéz, who co-owns 10 La Fiesta Taqueria and La Favorita Taqueria restaurants in the Sacramento region. He and his family, including his mother and a brother who manages one La Fiesta, come from the Mexican state of Jalisco. The restaurants serve food of the Los Altos region of Jalisco, which is famous for tequila.

Customer numbers have remained the same at restaurants like La Fiesta at 1105 Alhambra Blvd. But operating costs for everything from produce and meat to equipment, health licenses and employment taxes have gone up about 7 percent, he said.

The chain is also trying to recover the rest of $90,000 in repairs after someone accidentally drove through the Alhambra restaurant's front doors last fall. No one was injured, but the restaurant was closed for 35 days as they replaced broken counters, doors, windows and equipment, including registers.

The owners don't want to raise prices or lay anyone off, he said.

"We have the business we have because we have good employees," Cortéz said. "The problem is with restaurants, you don't make much."

For now, they're just breaking even, he said.

The owners of Quickly, a family-run tapioca milk-tea franchise at 16th and U streets, will also do what it takes to stick it out over the next year. Michelle Yee and her husband, Doug Holdren, opened the place two years ago as a side business to their full-time jobs.

The couple, joined by their kids, work weeknights and mornings and weekends in a sunny storefront painted in Quickly's bright oranges and blues. They also employ three college students to help run the establishment.

"Basically, all our free time is here," she said. "We enjoy working together. We spend time together here, instead of at home. By working together, we make a few extra dollars."

Quickly sells frozen and hot drinks in a wild variety of flavors and styles, including slushes, snows and milk teas sometimes mistakenly called "bubble tea."

"Everybody calls this the 'bubble tea place.' It's 'boba' — tapioca," Yee laughed. "I don't know how it became 'bubble tea.' "

In 2010, they plan to add more variety to their food menu and try new things, such as fried sesame balls and an egg puff popular in Hong Kong, to attract new customers. They also provide friendly service to keep people coming back, she said.

"I'm waiting for the economy to get better," Yee said. "When we work so hard for our business, it really doesn't matter if it's a good economy or a bad economy. We are going to make this work."

Down 16th Street, neighbor Henry Rodriguez's Casillas Cigars has been selling cigars for more than three years. The small shop sells everything from robustos and double coronas to skinny "pencil" cigars and cognac cigarillos. Rodriguez will most likely not make any changes to his business in 2010.

"I'm going to maintain," he said.

State senators and other friends of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have been known to stop in to buy a Nicaraguan cigar known as the torpedo rosado or "red torpedo" for the governor, Rodriguez said.

Sales are strong enough that he'd like to triple his stock if he can get a small-business loan to build a second humidor, install a new floor and update his website. He would also hire a couple people to help out when business gets hectic, he said.

In 2009, business at Sacramento Beekeeping Supplies remained about the same as years past, said owner Nancy Stewart.

"We stayed pretty steady, even with the economy what is has been," said Stewart, who runs the store at 2110 X St. with help from her family.

However, interest in protecting honeybees has grown so much in the last four years that she ordered an extra 1,000 bee boxes that she can pre-assemble as needed before spring, when the new season for raising bees starts. She also ordered early, placing her order with a supplier last fall, rather than waiting for spring.

"Last spring, I had people start telling me, 'I'm going to (start raising bees) now so I can help with the problems.' I'm kind of expecting the same thing to happen this year," she said. "So I'm semi-prepared for a good year."

Another business making a few additions in 2010 is Temple coffee and tea house at 2829 S St. An imported German roaster will soon begin operating and Temple will soon sell wholesale coffee, owner Sean Kohmescher said.

Temple Manager Ben Lance is also offering a new class, the Art of Home Brewing. Coffee lovers will work with a range of equipment and learn different ways to grind, brew and make coffee.

Kohmescher said he will focus on internal development of the staff and company, "as well as making great coffee."

"What are we hoping for this year? Growth and prosperity," he said.