Roseville Restaurants Team Up To Survive Coronavirus Crisis
ROSEVILLE (CBS13) — Trying times call for teamwork. That is why two Roseville restaurants are working together to survive.
"There's only six of us that are really working at this time," said Austin Rocha as he prepared a pie at Trademark Pizza in Roseville.
The company has laid off two-thirds of its staff. Rocha, who is the general manager, says sales are down 70% because of the stay at home order, despite takeout and delivery. The restaurant owner says he has struggled to pay rent the last two months and has been dipping into his life savings to stay afloat.
"The reality is in six months, when this is all over, they can ask for all the back rent," he said.
Mathew Oliver owns House of Oliver nearby. He took to Facebook to vent his frustrations after he couldn't make April rent payment and he says their property management told him they reserve the right to evict him.
"We cannot control property owners and property management, but we can make decisions to work together. We are stronger together," Oliver said.
After Trademark Pizza reached out to him, Oliver suggested serving up something a little different.
"Our goal is not to just purchase and sell 50 pizzas. Our goal is to sell 100 pizzas at House of Oliver to help Trademark pizza," Oliver said.
Trademark makes the pizzas and takes them to House of Oliver where they are packaged with a bottle of wine. Both profit from the transaction. The two restaurants are hungry for solutions to stay in business.
"We can build our funds up so we have the funds to pay our bills and take care of our employees and take care of our community," Rocha said.
All 100 pizzas were already sold by midday Wednesday.