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Rick's Dessert Diner Closing Until January Due To COVID

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The closure taking its toll on businesses who are opting to close — even for a few weeks — during the state shutdown.

"This is the fudge ribbon cake. It's three layers of chocolate cake with cheesecake swirled inside with ganache icing," said Ahmed Eita who owns Rick's Dessert Diner in Midtown.

Perfection in a box picked up David Marcucci to celebrate his wife's graduation from nursing school.

"I am super excited about this cake," he said.

It's one of the last items sold there before they temporarily shut down through early January.

"I was a little in shock cause I come here all the time and they have such amazing desserts," said Marcucci.

Rick's has been voted best of Sacramento for dessert every year since 1986. The curfew and the recent stay-at-home order hurt in what is his busiest time of year.

"The nature of the business is party time and we missed that," he said.

With no theatre, no state employees, and no holiday parties, his diner is starved for customers.

"To cut our losses we had to make this decision," he said.

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The neighboring Sugar Shack Boutique is boarded up and closed until further notice. The Cotton Club clothing store is open for fewer days and hours. The owner is hanging on.

"Because we have very loyal customers we have been in business 29 years. And we are hoping to make it to 30! They value us," said Keri Furry.

Furry says a government loan and allowing retail to be open at Christmas even at reduced capacity is saving her.

"I like this a lot better than in March when we had to shut down completely for two months. That killed us. We would not have been able to do that for another two months," she said.

With no indoor or outdoor dining allowed, it's a different story for restaurants. Eita says the temporary closure is for the safety of his staff and customers amidst this latest spike in COVID-19 cases. He doesn't blame anyone.

"This is the time we have to stick together and get past it safely -- hopefully," he said.

It's tough to swallow for loyal customers.

"We all gotta do what we gotta do to survive," said Marcucci.

For them, parting, even temporarily, is such sweet sorrow.

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