It has become increasingly challenging to stay positive and motivated during this shut down. I am blessed to have had many challenges in my life that have given me not only the tools to survive but the mindset to be able to always look for the silver lining in everything and try to flip things into a positive experience.
So here is the positive for PizzaVino in all this mess. We are fortunate to have a product that people want to “Take Out”. The high-end restaurants have a much harder time doing this and it’s not really worth it for them with labor cost, food costs and what they make in sales. It’s a lot easier for them just to shut their doors and hope this all blows over soon. With a solid local following we are doing ok all considered. We are making new friends every night with first timers discovering us. They will tell their friends and when we do open up again we will be busier than ever.
Many businesses will close. This will be a heartache felt by the whole community as many are mom and pop operations that offer a totally different feeling than the big corporate businesses do. I urge all locals to patronize your favorite restaurants if you want to eat there in the future. We are counting on all of you to keep us alive, in turn we will fill you with good food and smiles.
I receive gratitude every day from customers happy that we are open. I will always do my best to stay open even if that means we are not making money. I want to feel the energy from satisfied customers who are happy they can go out and enjoy a good meal with the ambiance of some normality. To see my staff happily working and joking around with each other brings me joy. PizzaVino is a happy place filled with a really good vibe. We will make it thru this and become better having gone thru it.
Stronger together,
Sheri
Sheri's PizzaVino Blog 
Just wanted to thank you for your leadership and bold commitment to ‘living your values’ in these strange times.
My family enjoyed a nice outdoor dinner at your restaurant a couple weeks ago and were energized to see a business pushing forward… (in spite of the inequitable government dictates).
We’ve been teaching our kids to move through this time with care, intelligence and respect for others, but also to never be driven by fear. Your business decisions and actions helped us model that approach… and it is greatly appreciated.
We wish you all the best in this new year and hope that your endeavors are richly rewarded as we move toward whatever our ‘new-normal’ will be.
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Mark,
Your comments and support are so much appreciated. I only wish I could continue the fight for my employees as they are the ones playing the highest price. I continued to be open until we were shut down by ABC with 2 armed officers and an ABC official. The optics and stress of that for my employees and guests was not pleasant. If I open again it will happen over and over again. As the ABC officer told me “I’m naked as a jaybird being on El Paseo.”
I’m walking a tight rope as you can imagine and pray for divine intervention.
All the best to you and your family,
Sheri
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Thanks for the response. Totally understand the tenuous situation you are in, and respect your heart for your employees.
We encourage you to ‘keep the faith’ and rely on some eternal wisdom….. (Jeremiah 29:11 and Joshua 1:9 ) those verses have certainly helped us maintain hope over this past year.
Also praying for divine intervention.
All the Best. Mark & Rebecca Knowlden
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