Help Save a Neighborhood Staple
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Good Day Everyone,
My name is Adam Lener and I am the owner and Executive Chef of Portobello Cafe located on Statin Island, New York. I have been in business for 24 years in which I have rooted my business into my neighborhood. I was taught growing up that if you are fortunate enough to be successful in life, you must pay it forward to help those less fortunate. I have lived by these words over the past 24 years and no matter how bad business got, I have never said no to charity in any capacity. For me, giving to others when possible is important because it sets the example for future generations. As time moves on, I have also learned the value in reaching out to others for help when needed. The restaurant is gravely struggling and I can no longer do this alone…
Over the past 2 years, business has changed. The first hurdle I contended with was a city construction project to Hylan Boulevard where my restaurant is located. The project began April 15th, 2019, and lasted until December 12th, 2019. During this time, my business suffered an 85% decrease in revenue due to road closures. I contacted local assemblymen, councilmen, congressmen, the borough president and surrounding businesses for help, but was unsuccessful. During this time I used every dollar saved, including my retirement funds, just to keep my business open.
I am the type of person who believes that every problem has a solution. In December, when the construction project ended, I was elated to start rebuilding my business. I ran promotions and offers to increase foot traffic and to let customers know that construction had ended and that yes, we were back open! I ran this promotion from December 2019 thru February 2020. I began to finally see the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Then COVID hit which shut us back down… At this point, I took a step back to come up with a strategy to keep business moving and the restaurant productive for all involved, including my employees. So I decided to offer delivery and curbside pickup services and since then, I have struggled to keep my doors open.
I am fortunate that I have been able to work out terms with my landlord since I am now unable to pay rent. I did get some help from the federal government in the form of a PPP loan, as well as an SBA loan program, but since my revenue from the prior year was so low due to the construction project, I did not qualify for much help. We are now allowed to host outdoor dining, with COVID restrictions of course, and because of this, I have only been able to utilize 8 outdoor tables. At this point, the New York governor and mayor have paused us from moving forward and reopening our indoor dining.
I honestly do not know how much longer I can keep the restaurant open without help. Between last year nearly putting me out of business due to construction and now COVID, I feel like my life’s work is going to become a statistic. It is not fair… I grew up on welfare and fought to get to where I am today. It is very difficult for me to reach out this way, but I have no other option than to ask for help.
To those who know me and to all who read this, it has never been about the money. It is about community and creating and sharing great meals with great people. It is about charity, supporting and feeding those who need it most. My cooking is my gift and how I support countless charities and now I could use a bit of charity and support myself. So I am asking… If you can, please help. Please donate.
To all our customers, thank you for your patronage and breaking bread with us over the past 24 years. We are truly grateful.
Respectfully,
Adam Lener
Owner and Executive Chef
Portobello Café
My name is Adam Lener and I am the owner and Executive Chef of Portobello Cafe located on Statin Island, New York. I have been in business for 24 years in which I have rooted my business into my neighborhood. I was taught growing up that if you are fortunate enough to be successful in life, you must pay it forward to help those less fortunate. I have lived by these words over the past 24 years and no matter how bad business got, I have never said no to charity in any capacity. For me, giving to others when possible is important because it sets the example for future generations. As time moves on, I have also learned the value in reaching out to others for help when needed. The restaurant is gravely struggling and I can no longer do this alone…
Over the past 2 years, business has changed. The first hurdle I contended with was a city construction project to Hylan Boulevard where my restaurant is located. The project began April 15th, 2019, and lasted until December 12th, 2019. During this time, my business suffered an 85% decrease in revenue due to road closures. I contacted local assemblymen, councilmen, congressmen, the borough president and surrounding businesses for help, but was unsuccessful. During this time I used every dollar saved, including my retirement funds, just to keep my business open.
I am the type of person who believes that every problem has a solution. In December, when the construction project ended, I was elated to start rebuilding my business. I ran promotions and offers to increase foot traffic and to let customers know that construction had ended and that yes, we were back open! I ran this promotion from December 2019 thru February 2020. I began to finally see the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Then COVID hit which shut us back down… At this point, I took a step back to come up with a strategy to keep business moving and the restaurant productive for all involved, including my employees. So I decided to offer delivery and curbside pickup services and since then, I have struggled to keep my doors open.
I am fortunate that I have been able to work out terms with my landlord since I am now unable to pay rent. I did get some help from the federal government in the form of a PPP loan, as well as an SBA loan program, but since my revenue from the prior year was so low due to the construction project, I did not qualify for much help. We are now allowed to host outdoor dining, with COVID restrictions of course, and because of this, I have only been able to utilize 8 outdoor tables. At this point, the New York governor and mayor have paused us from moving forward and reopening our indoor dining.
I honestly do not know how much longer I can keep the restaurant open without help. Between last year nearly putting me out of business due to construction and now COVID, I feel like my life’s work is going to become a statistic. It is not fair… I grew up on welfare and fought to get to where I am today. It is very difficult for me to reach out this way, but I have no other option than to ask for help.
To those who know me and to all who read this, it has never been about the money. It is about community and creating and sharing great meals with great people. It is about charity, supporting and feeding those who need it most. My cooking is my gift and how I support countless charities and now I could use a bit of charity and support myself. So I am asking… If you can, please help. Please donate.
To all our customers, thank you for your patronage and breaking bread with us over the past 24 years. We are truly grateful.
Respectfully,
Adam Lener
Owner and Executive Chef
Portobello Café
Organizer
Adam Lener
Organizer
Staten Island, NY
