Small Businesses in the Rise; Is the recession Over?

Despite the economic downturn that is swamping the nation’s economy, investment in small business haven’t stop. On January 22, at the corner of 6th Ave and 13th street opened a new Italian restaurant where once was the location of one of the Cosi franchises. The opening of Maximopino Café, an authentic Italian restaurant, perhaps is a sing that the economic crisis that has resulted in huge damages to the overall economy of the country is coming to an end.

Maximopino café, which specializes on pizza, gelato and café, is located in the heavily residential and business neighborhood, the Village in downtown Manhattan. Its delightful interior was exported straight from Italy, which gives the restaurant a distinct and unique appearance. “We are committed to provide the best services possible,” Davis said, the manager of the restaurant, “and that starts by providing an authentic and attractive space for the costumers.”

Not only are the furniture and counter tables exported from Italy, but also the finesse ingredients that make their food delicious. “Every product that is in here and the ingredients are all brought from Italy in a weekly basis,” Davis said, “That is what set us apart from any other restaurant in the area.”

The restaurant has an extensive menu which includes Salads, Pastas, Pizza, and Sandwiches among many other Italian’s receipts. Their specialty is in Pizza, Café and Gelato, which have a huge variety of flavors. “Costumers can choose what they want in their pizza from a variety of fresh ingredients,” Davis commented, “a service that many restaurants simply don’t provide.”

“One day in the morning I asked for a bagel with cream cheese and they said that they didn’t have that,” Mss Johnson said, “The next day I came in they had a variety of bread at the counter. That was unexpected.” This is only one of the ways that Maximopino Café is trying to maintain and gain clientele. Davis commented that clients’ suggestions are seriously considered and would always seek for ways to meet them. Aside from the ample, clean and attractive interior, Maximopino also provides free Wi-Fi for its clients and free delivery in a five block radius. Moreover, the restaurant provides a 10% percent discounts for college students when showing their ID as well as for hospital workers.

In these hard times, new businesses might render ways to overcome the current economic crisis. Maximopino Café did no only brought a distinct flavor to the residents of the village but also employment opportunities. With the unemployment rate at 9.7% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistic, the highest in decades, new jobs seems to be a reasonable tactic to confront the crisis. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that 36,000 jobs were lost in February alone, which will not be replaced anytime soon.

Nonetheless, according to the Small Business Administration, there has been a steady increase on small business opening in New York City. With the new legislation signed by President Barack Obama, which will provide an additional 1.8 billion for small business lending, the Small Business Administration project that there will be an even faster increase in new businesses, which will benefit and strengthened the economy by providing jobs and income.

Despites the economic crisis that is swamping the nation’s economy, Maximopino Café have been a huge hit according to Davis. This is further emphasizes by the employees who said that clientele increases in a daily basis. Nonetheless, the restaurant has had to update their menu a couples of times already to meet the demands of the clients. “We are a business,” Davis explained, “and a business most be adjusted to meet the demands of its clients.” The restaurant now carries bagel and other bread type products that Maximopino Café did no carry when it first opened.

According to Davis, it is too soon to know whether the economy have had an impact on the restaurant since they have just opened. Nonetheless, Davis assured that the business is doing well and that it is already producing enough to pay the employees and the business expenses. He further commented that there will always be a demand for food. “We provide competitive prices considering the neighborhood,” Davis said “which is something we carefully considered before opening.”

Despite the different businesses that already are in the area, Maximopino Café is increasingly becoming the new destination for residents of the village. Thus, employees of Murrays Bagels, a coffee shop located next to Maximopino, claims that they haven’t seem a decline on their clientele yet. Nonetheless, they said that it is competition but that they not worried about it.

It has just been a few weeks since the day Maximopino Café opened and the business already is doing well. Davis commented that they are planning on opening a franchise. There is not a specific day as to when this would happen, thus the opportunity is already available.