China Overseas Chinese Network, December 29. According to a report from the American Overseas Chinese News, the small business economy of major Chinese communities such as Chinatown in Manhattan, Eighth Avenue in Brooklyn, and Flushing in Queens has entered a cold winter due to the impact of the epidemic.
With the advent of winter and New York City once again banning indoor dining, the operations of restaurants and other small businesses have become even worse.
A restaurant in Manhattan’s Chinatown used online fundraising to build a new outdoor dining area, which is expected to be completed in mid-January. Small businesses in the community are encouraged to actively ask for help and find new ways to overcome the epidemic.
Claudia Leo, a marketing and public relations manager who has worked at the "Jinfeng Restaurant" for five and a half years, was born in Hong Kong and moved to New York with her family when she was a child. She spent her childhood in her residence on the street in Chinatown.
She launched a fundraiser on the crowdfunding website on the 20th to raise funds for the "Jinfeng Restaurant" to build a new outdoor dining area. At the same time, she encouraged more Chinatown small business communities experiencing economic difficulties to find new ways to respond. Challenges brought by outdoor dining in winter.
Liao Kaiqi said, "Jinfeng Restaurant" has about 800 seats indoors.
Affected by the epidemic, it faces operating difficulties like other catering industry counterparts.
Since the introduction of outdoor dining in New York City, the restaurant has built an outdoor dining area that can accommodate 3-4 tables outside the door. However, due to the winter storm weather, the outdoor dining area tents, flower pots, and partitions have been damaged to varying degrees .
The New York City Department of Housing (DOB) inspectors said when they came to check that the "Jinfeng Restaurant" must repair the damage within two weeks, otherwise the outdoor dining area built by it will be forcibly cancelled.
The construction of an outdoor dining area costs about 5000-8000 US dollars.
Because the project "Jinfeng Restaurant" used all the funds to pay for utility bills, purchase goods and labor expenses, it initiated fundraising on the crowdfunding website.
The new outdoor dining area is expected to accommodate 4 tables. It is still in the design stage. Taking into account the rain and snow, it is expected to be completed in mid-January.
If there is excess funds, it will be donated to other restaurants in Chinatown facing similar difficulties.
Liao Kaiqi said that most ethnic Chinese advocate the concept of self-reliance and are unwilling to take the initiative to seek financial help. However, communities dominated by ethnic Chinese such as Chinatown have been suffering from the economic impact of prejudice and discrimination caused by the epidemic as early as January this year. With business difficulties, winter has arrived, and outdoor dining, the only way of eating at a table, has been suspended again. This has made small businesses worse and encouraged small businesses of Chinese descent to actively speak out for the necessary economic help.
(Liu Yiling)