In the midst of a 鈥減anic鈥� over the COVID-19 global pandemic, a South Surrey business owner has carved a pathway to success and he鈥檚 sharing his advice with other small business owners.
鈥淲ednesday, we all woke up and all of a sudden the world was ending,鈥� The Carvery Sandwich Shop owner Bryan Mendiola told Peace Arch News Sunday morning. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when everything kind of hit, the market crashed, they issued no travel from the B.C. Health Ministry. So Thursday, we were dead.鈥�
Mendiola said he was expecting a drop in customers, but 鈥渘ot that dramatic and not that instant.鈥�
South Surrey sandwich shop.
鈥� Aaron Hinks (@aaron_hinks)
Thursday, the Carvery Sandwich Shop (2430 King George Blvd.) posted a message on its social media platforms asking for support from its customers.
鈥淭he Carvery is practically empty today along with many other businesses in the area. We understand the situation and we hope that you continue to support all of us small businesses in times like this,鈥� Mendiola wrote to the company鈥檚 Facebook page March 12. 鈥淚f you are healthy go on and live normally, if you are sick stay home or see a doctor. We will do our part to keep our facility sanitized鈥�. We need you more so than ever before.鈥�
The Carvery followed the statement with a number of social media posts showing the steps the company is taking to disinfect high-traffic areas of the store.
RELATED:
RELATED:
鈥淭he next Friday, we were slammed. We were busy. People showed up, so I think it鈥檚 just a matter of communicating with the public, they want to feel comfortable,鈥� Mendiola said.
Under normal circumstances, the shop only sells its fried chicken sandwich on Wednesdays. However, Mendiola said they switched that up and offered to sell the chicken sandwich on Saturday.
鈥淪aturday was our record breaking day, and I鈥檝e been open for four years,鈥� Mendiola said, adding that they sold about 180-200 chicken sandwiches in two hours.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 triple what we would normally鈥� or quadruple what we鈥檇 normally do on a regular special day,鈥� he said.
RELATED:
Mendiola said a business owner in Australia reached out to him and asked for his advice.
鈥淢y biggest advice to everybody is just communicate with your clientele. Ask them for help. I had no problem asking my clientele, saying, 鈥榟ey, you know, we鈥檙e experiencing slower times,鈥欌�� Mendiola said.
Mendiola said business owners also have to give something back, and in his case it was explaining the steps his shop is taking to disinfect high-traffic zones and the dining area.
However, the pandemic is having an impact on other portions of his business. The Carvery, much like many other restaurants in the Semiahmoo Peninsula, offers a catering service.
RELATED:
鈥淏ig gatherings like catering events, corporate meetings and things like that are just dropping off like flies,鈥� Mendiola said. 鈥淪o that鈥檚 where I鈥檓 losing most of my business鈥� Like, I鈥檝e had over 10 of those cancelled just next week.鈥�
With wedding season approaching, many brides and grooms are cancelling their event due to the virus. The cancellations directly impact businesses that offer catering services, he added.
鈥淎nd those are not little accounts. Those are like $10,000-$20,000 food accounts that are being cancelled.鈥�
Mendiola said he will have to 鈥済et creative鈥� to make up the losses from his catering business.
鈥淭he catering world is the first thing to have been affected more so than I think the foot traffic.鈥�
Friday, provincial health office Bonnie Henry said it鈥檚 still safe to visit restaurants.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not talking about shutting down society here,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 still very safe today in B.C. 鈥� all across B.C. 鈥� to go out, to go shopping, to go to restaurants.鈥�
Visit us at
Like us on and follow us on
