Ristorante Lombardo, The Little Club to temporarily close to evaluate next step

Ristorante Lombardo, The Little Club to temporarily close to evaluate next step

The Lombardo family decided to temporarily close their two Hertel Avenue restaurants starting Friday, March 20th to figure out the most beneficial way to conduct their take out operation for the business, employees and customers.

ALRIGHT THANKSASHLEY.THE CORONAVIRUSPANDEMIC IS FORCINGMANY BUSINESSESRIGHT NOW TORETHINK THEIRSTRATEGIES.AS 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTEROLIVIA PROIA SHOWSUS -- THE OWNERS OFTWO NORTH BUFFALORESTAURANTS HAVECOMPLETELY SHUTDOWN THEIRSTORES... AS THEYCONSIDER THE NEXTSTEPS.0:000:060:100:150:200:440:48MPLOYEES SAY YOUJOIN A FAMILY WHENYOU WORK AT ONE OFTHESE TWORESTAURANTS ONHERTEL AVENUE INBUFFALO.SOT 00:06TOMMY: WE HAVEEMPLOYEES WHO HAVEBEEN WITH US FIVE,TEN, 15, YEARS.

WEHAVE EMPLOYEES WHOHAVE BEEN WITH USOVER 20 YEARS.SOT 00:03TOMMY: IT'S JUST YOUKNOW LIKE BEING IN AREAL ITALIAN FAMILY.SOT 00:08SARAH: ESPECIALLYBECAUSE IT STARTSFROM THE TOP DOWN.IT'S NOT A BIGCORPORATION.

IT'SLEGITIMATELY A FAMILY.AND THEIR NAME IS ONTHE BUSINESSTHE LOMBARDOFAMILY HAS OWNEDRISTORANTELOMBARDO FOR 45YEARS.

AND THELITTLE CLUB FOR JUSTOVER A YEAR.BUT NOW, AMID THECORONAVIRUSOUTBREAK, BOTHRESTAURANTS ARECLOSED.

THEY HAD TOLAY OFF ABOUT 40PEOPLE.SOT 00:05TOMMY: IT WASN'TREALLY EMOTIONALLYHEARTBREAKING UNTILWE STARTED GETTINGTHE RESPONSES FROMTHEM.SOT 00:03SARAH: HAVING AYOUNG FAMILY, IT'SSCARY.SOT 00:04STAND UP: THE ISSUEIS THIS HOLDS UPTAKEOUT BAG JUSTISN'T THEIR BUSINESSMODEL.SOT 00:12TOMMY: SO IF WE'REACTUALLY GOING TODO THIS FOR FOURWEEKS, SIX WEEKS,TWO MONTHS I DON'TKNOW.

THEN MAYBEWE SHOULD CLOSEAND THINK OF A WAYTO DO IT RIGHT.THE FAMILY IS HOPINGTO REOPENLOMBARDO'S FORTAKE OUT IN JUSTOVER A WEEK.

IN THEMEANTIME.

THEY'VECOME UP WITH WAYSTO HELP THEIR STAFF.SOT 00:10TOMMY: WE STARTEDRECENTLY PROMOTINGA GIFT CARDPROMOTION WHERE 30PERCENT OF ALL OURGIFT CARD SALES GODIRECTLY TOWARDOUR EMPLOYEES.THEY'VE ALSO SET UPA GO FUND ME PAGEFOR THEIR WORKERS.SOT 00:07SARAH: I'M DEFINITELYCONFIDENT THEY HAVEMY BACK.

I MEANTHEY'VE ONLY PROVEDTHAT TIME AND TIMEAGAIN.TOMMY SAYS THESUPPORT FROM THECOMMUNITY HAS BEENSURREAL.SOT 00:08TOMMY: THEY'RE ASMUCH A PART OF THISPLACE AS ME, OR MYDAD, WHO STARTEDTHE RESTAURANT WITHHIS FATHER OR ANY OFOUR EMPLOYEES.IN BUFFALO, OLIVIAPROIA, 7EWN.