The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is expected to approve a measure designed to help some small restaurants and cafes in North Beach survive. A proposal that relies on alcohol.
“I think it’s wonderful, amazing, but a long time coming,” said Jessica Furui, co-owner of Family Cafe.
She says she's on the verge of getting a lifeline in the form of a liquor license, allowing them to help boost sales during the pandemic. The measure would apply to about 10 small restaurants and cafes in North Beach.
They had previously been designated “limited restaurants,” and prevented from getting a liquor license.
The small business owner says it had already been an uphill climb for them, the pandemic made it a roller coaster.
“Sometimes sales are so low, I might be crying on the inside,” Furui said. “Sometimes it’s still busy, you're like ‘what pandemic?’”
Now she’s banking on beer, wine and sake to help them stay afloat.
“I’m hoping it will be a game changer,” she said. “At least it will be a little bit more in the long term viability basket.”
Furui said they have to acclimate and evolve and adapt until indoor dining returns.
San Francisco’s public health director now says a new report from the CDC on indoor dining risk is troubling.
“So that has given us pause,” said Dr. Grant Colfax. “We are working with restaurant industry stakeholders to determine what safer reopening might look like.”
