Poway must be face-palming itself.
The Coronavirus has decimated restaurants across the country. However, restaurants in Poway are still licking their wounds after a state-mandated boil-water order late last year effectively closed them down for a week.
“I’m not sure that they’ve recovered completely from that and now we’re in this situation,” said Ed Franklin, Executive Director of the Poway Chamber of Commerce.
“They’re doing what they can to survive,” he said about restaurant owners. “They’re being creative, and I think that’s what Chamber members need to do.”
“We’re just trying to stay optimistic. Again, we’re just happy that we’re open,” said Chad Clattenborg. His “In the Mix Yogurt” spent hundreds on a special permit to remain open in December.
“We just took it as a loss. We did as much as we could,” he said.
Now Clattenborg is banking on carry-out business to keep the family-owner yogurt shop afloat.
“Feel free to come by, pick up an order, and take it home,” he said.
One block away, Alejandra Barajas is grateful for her faithful customers at El Ranchito Taco Shop.
“Of course, they come in, they’re like, ‘We’re here to support you,” she said.
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However, the coronavirus pandemic has left her uncertain.
“We’re putting everything on credit cards just because we don’t know everything. It’s a new day and we don’t know how much we’re selling a day,” said Barajas.
The boil-water order lasted about a week in December when stormwater overflowed into the city’s drinking water system.
