One of Eugene’s most popular vegan restaurants is looking for community donations to stay open. Cornbread Cafe, like many restaurants in the area, has struggled to keep revenue flowing during the pandemic.
For the cafe, 2020 started out with a bang. They started the year by celebrating their 10 year anniversary and opening a second location in Springfield.
This was back in January, now that location has since permanently closed. Owner Sheree Walters said even though they’ve received some relief from the Small Business Administration, and the Paid Protection Program through the CARES act, it's not enough.
“That money just went really fast," Walters said, "with the combination of the improvements we made, we had to remodel part of the dining room, and we also had to pay off vendors."
"In this industry you’re borrowing from tomorrow to pay off yesterday and that’s just how it works. The margins are really, really slim,” she said.
Though she didn't want to, her supporters encouraged her to start a GoFundMe campaign to help make some of the ends meet. The goal is $20,000. As of Monday evening they've received more than half that.
Correction: Walters received aid from the SBA not the FDA. This has been corrected.
Copyright 2020, KLCC
