Monrovia Chamber Of Commerce Helping Restaurants During Pandemic

MONROVIA (CBSLA) - A local Chamber of Commerce has come up with a unique way to help keep restaurants afloat during the pandemic.

The Monrovia Chamber of Commerce is offering a program giving a $10-off coupon for all take-out orders that are $30 or above at restaurants. Other businesses that are doing well sponsor the program and reimburse the restaurants the $10 so that they can get more business.

"We'll be busy for about two or three days in a row and then it will be a ghost town all day," said Michael Lipsky Friday, owner of The Monrovian, a pizza shop on Myrtle Avenue in Old Town.

He said keeping his business running during the pandemic has been a struggle.

But some businesses in the area are booming and stepping up to help others.

"I was a little disturbed that the restaurants were losing so much money," said Donna Baker, a real estate agent in Monrovia. "Out of my pocket, I gave four restaurants in town money to give Monrovia citizens food."

Baker's generosity is how the Chamber of Commerce got the idea to do the coupons.

Lipsky said the program is already driving more foot traffic into his pizza shop.

"We wake up every morning and hit the ground running until it's time to go home, so that's what we'll keep doing," he said.

The coupons will be offered until January 31. To learn more about the program, go here.