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She is staying open.
With a lot of help from friends, customers and even some strangers, EmpanadaVille owner Jessica Rodriguez said she is now able to keep her struggling Mastic Beach restaurant open.
“Because of all of you,” Rodriguez told customers and donors in a Facebook Reel posted on Monday, “we will be remaining open.”
Four days earlier, faced with the prospect of having to close due to rising operating costs, Rodriguez turned to GoFundMe and established “as a last resort” a fundraiser that asked the public for financial help to keep her nine-year business afloat.
The GoFundMe raised $2,825 raised of Rodriguez’s $6,500 goal.
“We did not meet our goal on the GoFundMe, but because we were so busy this weekend … we actually did meet our goal,” she said during the video, while expressing gratitude for the donations and influx of business on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
“We’re going to take it on a month by month basis and see how things go,” she added. “Hopefully, if we have steady business, then we’ll remain open.
“Thank you to everyone who came this weekend to show their support for EmpanadaVille. I am truly blow away because I just can’t believe that that many people care about us and don’t want to see us go.”
Top photo: EmpanadaVille in Mastic Beach (Facebook/Empandaville)
