Browse Stories (17 total)

Henry Liro is a restaurant employee and he shares his experience working in the midst of a pandemic.

Raquel Zelayandia is the owner of Taqueria Del Pueblo in Worcester Public Market in the Canal District of Worcester. In this oral history, Raquel shares her experience with her business during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taqueria Del Pueblo opened in February just before the pandemic hit. Without a large audience, the restaurant used social media platforms to engage the community. The image is a screenshot their TikTok account. Between Facebook and TikTok, one of…

The Sole Proprietor has adapted their dining experience to include outdoor dining. The tent is located in front of the restaurant entrance in compliance with outdoor dining regulations set by the city. Outdoor dining has been important for the…

The pandemic was very strenuous on many Worcester businesses, especially small businesses. By July 2020, already 143 businesses had closed permanently, and many other temporarily.

The outdoor-dining theme and takeout options will continue through 2021 as the Worcester License Commission extended the order allowing outdoor dining for restaurants in areas that may not be zoned accordingly. The commission is discussing making a…

With Becker College closing at the end of the year, many of the local businesses will be affected. Businesses surrounding college campuses such as Modern Muse Thrift, Boomer's, and The Prints and Potter Gallery rely on not just students but the…

The PPP loan helped many businesses pay their employees and support the business during months of low revenue. One of these small businesses was Bean Counter Bakery Café, which received $175,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The loan…

This website helps provide grants to Worcester businesses affected by COVID-19. The Small Business Resiliency Program provided grants of up to $10,000 for qualifying businesses. The second wave of these grants start rolling out around May 6 at a…