Local restaurants recover from the pandemic, but other challenges remain

IN OUR SEGMENT...THE REBOUNDCENTRALCOAST...WE’RE COMMITTED TOHELPING YOU FIND SOLUTIONSTOMAKE ENDS MEET....TONIGHT WEARE HOPING TO HELP THOSE WHOARE TRYING TO GET BACK TOWORK.RESTAURANTS ARE STARTING TORECOVER FROM THE FINANCIALTURMOIL CREATED BY COVID-19,BUT NOW THEY FACE ANOTHERCHALLENGE.KSBY REPORTER COLETTE NGOTELLS US WHAT THAT IS.PKGACCORDING TO A LEGISLATIVECOMMITTEE - NEARLY A THIRDOFCALIFORNIA’S RESTAURANTS ANDTWO-THIRD OF WORKERS ATLEAST TEMPORARILY LOST THEIRJOBS AS THE PANDEMICSET IN OVER A YEAR AGO.LOCALRESTAURANTS THAT ARESURVIVING - LIKE PETRAS INSANLUIS OBISPO - NOW REFLECT ONWHATIT WAS LIKE WHEN THECORONAVIRUS FIRST HIT.OUT.I COULDN’TREALLY EVEN AFFORD TO KEEPMY DOORS OPEN." TO MAKE ENDSMEET AT THE START OF THEPANDEMIC ..MANY RESTAURANTS SWITCHED TOA DELIVERY AND TAKEOUTBUSINESS MODEL - WHICH MEANTMANY EMPLOYEESHAD TO BE LAID OFF.AUBREY PYLE"THAT WAS THE BIGGEST TOLL.I FELT LIKE I WASFAILING THEM AS AN EMPLOYER,BECAUSE WE’RE A FAMILY HERE.AND I COULDN’T DO ANYTHINGFOR THEM TO MAKE ITBETTER.:" SOME STREET"THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPOHAS BEENAMAZING, BUILT US OURPARKLETTE AND WE HAVEOUTDOOR DINING .

WITHOUTTHEM, IDON’T THINK I WOULD’VE BEENABLE TO MAKE IT." AS COVIDRESTRICTIONS IN SAN LUISOBISPO COUNTY NOW ALLOW FORINDOOR DINING AT 50% PERCENTCAPACITY, THE RESTAURANTBUSINESS IS RECOVERING.LOCALRESTAURANTS ARE HIRING TOKEEP UPWITH DEMAND - BUT THEY’RESTRUGGLING TO FINDCANDIDATES.RAMMY ABURASHED "WE SHOULDBE GOING BACK TO FULL HOURSPRETTY SOON.RIGHT NOW IT’S KIND OFDIFFICULT HIRING MOREEMPLOYEES." AUBREY PYLE OF____ BELIEVES CURRENTUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFETS ARE KEEPING SOMEPEOPLE FROM APPLYING FORMINIMUM WAGE JOBS.AUBREY PYLE"I’VE BEEN LOOKING TO FILLFRONT OF THE HOUSEPOSITIONS FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHSNOW ANDWE’’RE JUST NOT GETTING THEAPPLICATIONS WE USED TO GET.IF I POSTED SOMETHINGONLINE, I WOULD HAVE UPWARDSOF 10 PEOPLECOMING INTO APPLY WITHIN THEWEEK ANDNOW I’M HAVING 1 OR 2."IN THE MEANTIME - PYLE SAYSSHE’S HOPEFUL TO RECEIVESOME GOVERNMENT AID FROM THESMALL BUSINESSESADMINISTRATION.AUBREY PYLE"THAT WOULD HELP WITH BEINGABLE TO PAYBILLS, BEING ABLE TO DOMAINTENANCE THAT I COULDN’TAFFORD TO DO ON THERESTAURANT BECAUSE OFCOVID."THE APPLICATION DEADLINE FORTHE SBA’S RESTAURANTREVITALIZATION FUND ISMONDAYNIGHT AT EIGHT.IT’S PART OF THEAMERICAN RESCUE PLAN TO HELPELIGIBLE BUSINESS KEEP THEIRDOORS OPEN.IN SAN LUIS OBISPO - COLETTENGO, KSBY NEWS.####THE DATE FOR WHENRESTAURANTS WILL RECEIVE THEFUNDS FROM THE SBA IS STILLNOT SET, BUT THEY WILL ALLOWRESTAURANTS TO USE GRANTSFROMTHE RESTAURANTREVITALIZA