SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Stephanie Eppig didn't sleep much last night.
She was busy transforming her business model - under a very tight deadline.
“I had to redo the entire schedule, try to line up a food partnership, change our hours,” she said.
Eppig co-owns Eppig Brewing, with locations in vista and Point Loma.
It was getting back up to speed just in time for July, its busiest month .Then, the devastating news Monday - the county - placing strict new limits on bars, breweries and wineries, to stop the increased spread of the coronavirus.
The Vista location - back to Curbside pickup only. As for Point Loma, all guests coming will be required to order food, prepared by a food truck on site.
“It's really a punch in the gut right now for us and our employees,” Eppig said. “It’s awful because this is our livelihood and this is our employees’ livelihood and we have zero control over our ability to run our business.”
To make matters worse, Eppig already exhausted all the money from her federal Paycheck Protection Program loan - which got the brewery through the first shut down.
There's no new agreement on a second round of stimulus.
Attorney Kelly DuFord Williams, managing partner at Slate Law Group, says businesses can talk to their banks about lending opportunities - but that involves risk.
“Either the government in California or if the Federal Government is going to make that decision, they need to fund another round of P.P.P., so that people can keep their jobs, and people's mental health and family life can have some sort of stability,” said DuFord Williams, who represents small businesses and restaurants.
County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said Tuesday that he is hopeful federal officials will continue to provide economic support for impacted businesses and workers.
The employees who went back to work and need unemployment once again will have to rectify for the benefits, the state Employment Development Department said. They can reopen their existing claims for a year, assuming they haven’t exhausted the money. The best ways to do so is online.