communitea

Here we are the end of August. It’s still hot, languorous, and quiet in LIC and about a week away from our thoughts turning to Fall and school, aka the future. And yet a select group still in town are struggling and barely keeping their heads above water, despite working long hours primarily in the heat of the sun. I’m talking about the restaurant owners, which by appearances may seem to be doing quite well were one to simply observe the bustling outside activity. But for most owners the outdoor seating is a wash at best, as the capacity is still a fraction of what most restaurants hold. Plus the extreme heat coupled with occasional rain is a financial widowmaker. It pains me to walk by a restaurant on a rainy day knowing that it leads to a flood of cash down the drain with zero recoupment. For more details on the suffering and ramifications I highly recommend you read the letter below written by Long Island City’s Communitea in Eater.