Brenda Castellanos and Ana Prince have closed two of their four restaurants and are trying to survive.
Eighteen years ago, Brenda Castellanos and Ana Prince immigrated to the United States from Guatemala. The two sisters dreamed of opening a restaurant, bringing authentic Guatemalan food to Brooklyn. In August 2014, they succeeded, and by the beginning of this year their restaurant “empire” had expanded to four establishments: Antojitos del Patron, Ix (“Ish”) Guatemalan Restaurant, Taqueria El Patron Mexican Grill Restaurant, and Taqueria El Patron bar, all on Lincoln road across the street from Prospect Park.
Then the pandemic hit and put a halt on life in New York City. As cases rose, Castellanos, 41, and Prince, 34, had to act fast to save their restaurants, in which they both have invested virtually all of their savings. Despite having applied multiple times, they did not receive any financial help from the government. “It was very vague,” said Prince. “They sent us an email saying we don’t meet the requirements without providing any further details.”
The two decided to shut down the bar and their newest restaurant, Antojitos del Patron, and provide delivery and takeout services for the remaining two restaurants. Many of their remaining workers feared contracting the virus while serving customers, so the two women took matters into their own hands. “For us, the most important thing is the health of us and our employees. We picked up all our employees and dropped them home every day for three months,” said Castellanos. “We didn’t let anyone take public transportation.”
As summer rolled around, business picked up. “Thank God summer came, and they let us put tables outside,” said Castellanos. “That helped a lot.”
As of October 2020, more than 1000 restaurants have permanently closed their doors, according to the website Eater. The saving grace for many has been the outdoor dining that started in June. Initially set to stop on October 31, outdoor seating is now a permanent option for restaurants.
As the weather got colder, Castellanos and Prince felt skeptical about the indoor seating, which returned in early October, allowing partial capacity. “Just 25 percent doesn’t make a big difference, especially with the risk we’d be taking with everyone being indoors,” explained Castellanos.
The two do not have any set plans for the winter season but are figuring out how they would install heaters outdoors. “We are trying to keep focused, understanding that this is new for all of us,” said Prince. She added that in the meantime, their dreams, families, friends and customers keep them driven. “The community shows us love and support, and that makes our job a little bit easier.”
Series: Coronavirus
