Business owners are looking for ways to stay afloat during the pandemic, and now an effort that benefits restaurants and bars is underway in San Francisco, one that offers food and alcoholic beverages to its customers.
Bar 440 Castro can serve drinks as long as they serve food, so that's where restaurant The Cove on Castro comes in.
"When they decided to open, they asked me to team up. I said 'sure let's give it a try,'" said Maurice Darwish. "I'm open with them until 8 at night."
The Cove extended its hours and hired some staff back.
"There are good and bad times. We are fighting very hard and looking at what our options are," said Darwish. "We are collaborating with the 440 bar and it seems like that is attracting customers."
Meanwhile, community leaders in Chinatown are looking to create more outdoor options.
Grant Avenue is closed on the weekends so restaurants can spread out. But the Chinese Chamber of Commerce is announcing a partnership Tuesday with restaurants to help them get the permits they need to set up outside.
"Even when they open no people," said Sam Chen.
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He says he needs more foot traffic to keep the doors open at Magical Ice Cream.
"Come out and check it out, some dim sum is open, not all are closed just some especially souvenir shops, they hit hard," he said.
The chamber says one third of Chinatown restaurants are in danger of closing in the next six months.
