Struggling Pacifica business expects another slump as storm rolls into Bay Area
Another storm rolling through this week means another headache for the owners of Chit Chat Cafe in Pacifica.
The coffee shop has been struggling since the pier closed to the public late last year. Regulars have been doing their best to keep the place afloat but everybody is just counting down the days until the pier can reopen.
Pamela Minarik has her routine.
Every day she drives down to Beach Boulevard in Pacifica, takes a walk up and down the beach and then stops at the Chit Chat Cafe for a cup of coffee, a treat and a beautiful view.
"It's right on the sea wall, and it's all interesting people doing things," said Minarik.
Sitting inside the cafe watching the world turn has become one of Pamela's favorite pastimes. But in the last month, her view has looked a little different.
"How are they going to make it. Because you know, I'm like a regular, I'm here all the time, but one or two people like me are not going to make a whole customer base," said Minarik.
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Back in December, the city closed the pier after a big storm caused significant damage. Ever since then, owner Ginger Davis said the number of customers coming into the cafe has dropped by half.
"If we're already down 50 percent with this next storm coming, it's going to hit us really hard. But the way my husband and I feel is as long as we can pay our rent and our employees, we'll make it through," said Davis.
Ginger Davis and her husband have only owned the cafe for about a year but said the previous owners warned them about the weather.
"It's not the first time, but it's the first for us and so being so early in our ownership, it's really kind of giving us an idea of what to look for in the future," said Ginger Davis.
While it's been a tough few weeks, Ginger Davis said they're lucky to have loyal customers like Minarik who are doing their best to keep the business afloat until the pier reopens.
"I prefer to go local and support local businesses and keep little local things going and have people continue and be happy. I think that's better, and my retirement job is keeping them all going," said Minarik.
The good news is that Minarik hopefully won't have to be the only one keeping the cafe going for much longer.
The city put up a notice on the pier saying they are hoping to have it reopen in just a few weeks on Valentine's Day.
