SF small business owners say APEC security has kept customers away
Food wasted at empty restaurants; APEC boom is a bust for local businesses
Ahead of APEC, San Francisco city officials said the influx of global leaders to the Bay Area would be good for local business. Now we're learning this may not be true for many who make their living near the APEC security zone. Several business owners we spoke with said tables are empty at their restaurants and in some cases food is going bad and being thrown away.
Before this week's summit, San Francisco said the influx of global leaders and CEO's would be good for local businesses.
This may not be true for many who work near the APEC security zone and Chinatown.
Business owners in the South of Market neighborhood and Chinatown say tight security measures such as road closures have kept customers away.
The expected APEC boom has turned into a bust for Manny Ramirez, owner of Bocado, located near Moscone Center where the APEC Summit is being held.
"It's like 20 pounds of meat, all the meat," said Ramirez as he held a garbage can filled with food waste.
It was extra food he bought to accommodate the many visitors in town for the summit, business that did not materialize.
And the food is now spoiled and will be thrown out.
"The restaurant was open. I'm wasting a lot of money in labor because nobody come," Ramirez said the dining room has been empty of customers since Monday, so he closed his restaurant and sent all 25 employees home until further notice. Ramirez said there are cancelations through Saturday and his regular customers are not coming to avoid street closures and security measures.
In Chinatown at Hon's Wun Hun House, owner Amanda Yan said since the APEC Summit started, business has been down 40%. She said she's surprised since other conventions at Moscone Center bring business. They spend money in Chinatown, they're shopping, they're eating, so right now it's kind of quiet.
Nearby at Zhu's Tea, the owners tell me disruption and changes to public transit to accommodate APEC have kept customers from coming in, causing a 70% decrease in business.
"DoorDash, Grubhub, I didn't get any orders for a whole week," said owner Jenny, who declined to give her last name,"The cars can not come in and a lot of delivery guys can not come and pick up."
Despite the quiet streets and loss of business, one merchant said she hopes the meeting between President Joe Biden and China's President Xi Jinping will have a long-term benefit.
"Better relationship to make a better economy," said Yan.
Ramirez with Bocado said he's planning to donate the extra food he has. All the business owners who spoke with KTVU said they're asking city leaders for financial help to recover some of their losses.
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU.