Donations for Blvd Bistro of Harlem Restaurant
Don protégé
Blvd Bistro is a family-owned restaurant and personal calling of Chef Carlos Swepson, who started cooking at the age of six while growing up in Natchez, Mississippi. Owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team of Carlos and Markisha Swepson, Blvd has become a staple in Harlem for the past seven years. Since their original conception, which was located in a 36-seat brownstone, the restaurant quickly became known as the best brunch spot in Harlem. Chef Carlos’s classic southern inspired cuisine and family fun atmosphere made Blvd Bistro a success. After outgrowing their space, the couple decided to step out on faith and relocate their business to a 76-seat restaurant on Frederick Douglass Blvd, which is famously known as Harlem’s Restaurant Row.
The relocation project was supposed to be a three-month process, but after many delays it took the project almost a year to finish. The challenges of managing two locations for nearly a year took a financial and emotional toll on the couple. Even though the project still was not done they decided they could not stay closed any longer and open their restaurant in May 2019. With all their savings depleted, surmountable amount of debt and evictions proceedings emerging the couple was determined not to lose everything they worked so hard to accomplish.
As they struggle through-out 2019 managing financial hardship with high predatory interest loans, operation and payroll expenses, the couple was hit by the global pandemic. As all of us experienced the hardship of the pandemic the restaurant industry has been hit extremely hard. With unexpected closures and lower-than-normal revenue their business is in jeopardy of closing. Still struggling financially and even experiencing a break-in to the restaurant last week, the couple is determined more than ever to keep their doors open which is why they decided to raise money to payback business debt and manage operation and payroll expenses.
The relocation project was supposed to be a three-month process, but after many delays it took the project almost a year to finish. The challenges of managing two locations for nearly a year took a financial and emotional toll on the couple. Even though the project still was not done they decided they could not stay closed any longer and open their restaurant in May 2019. With all their savings depleted, surmountable amount of debt and evictions proceedings emerging the couple was determined not to lose everything they worked so hard to accomplish.
As they struggle through-out 2019 managing financial hardship with high predatory interest loans, operation and payroll expenses, the couple was hit by the global pandemic. As all of us experienced the hardship of the pandemic the restaurant industry has been hit extremely hard. With unexpected closures and lower-than-normal revenue their business is in jeopardy of closing. Still struggling financially and even experiencing a break-in to the restaurant last week, the couple is determined more than ever to keep their doors open which is why they decided to raise money to payback business debt and manage operation and payroll expenses.
Organisateur
MARKISHA SWEPSON
Organisateur
New York, NY
