Saturday 26 December 2020

Pacifica brewery fears imminent closure without outdoor dining

PACIFICA, Calif. (KRON) - Delays in passing the latest stimulus bill are hurting businesses across the country.

Due to strict COVID-19 health restrictions here in the Bay Area, businesses are depending on the financial relief the new bill would bring.

With every step she takes walking through her empty beer garden in the back patio, Helen Nasser-Elddin’s heart sinks fearing her family's business is slipping away.

"If this continues, we have to shutdown, and we cannot do takeout,” Helen said. 

Helen co-owns Pacifica Brewery in Pacifica with her husband Sylvain, who also doubles as head chef.

Helen says when the regional shelter-in-place order went into effect last week, eliminating outdoor dining.

She in turn had to lay off 18 employees.

“It's terrible, and knowing that they can't fall back on their unemployment, because as of today that's ending for many of them -- it's heart-wrenching. They live penny to penny and paycheck to paycheck. We have to tell them there's just no way to keep them on for take-out because it's putting us so in the red," Helen said. 

Helen says take-out orders are generating at most one-thousand dollars a day in revenue and that's not enough.

“Oh, that number needs to be above 10,000 in order to be an efficient business," Helen said. 

She also worries the regional shelter-in-place order in San Mateo County will be extended and her brewery will remain deserted.

Especially if she is unable to secure another loan through the stimulus package awaiting president trump's signature.

Helen says they are following all health and safety protocols and have not contributed to the spread of COVID-19.

“We are essential, and we are important and we have bills to pay," Helen said. 

On Wednesday, at 1 p.m., Helen is organizing a rally here in her parking lot that will turn into a march down Highway 1 in solidarity with other small business owners, impacted during the pandemic.

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