Downtown Fresno restaurant that opened at pandemic’s start already closing
The owner of the new Downtown Deli & Market in Fresno gave it a go for 7 1/2 months after opening at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
But now the restaurant is closing. Its last day is Friday.
“I hate to do it,” said owner Leon Alchian Jr. said of closing the restaurant due to the pandemic. “I thought it would be over by now, but it isn’t.”
The restaurant opened March 27 at the corner of Fresno and P streets, nine days after the city issued a shelter-in-place order.
Alchian knew he was facing an uphill battle, but said at the time that he had so much money invested into the business, he had to try to get some money coming in.
The deli was open for takeout and delivery, selling food like sandwiches. Many were named for downtown places and people, like the “city hall meatball.” The words “We believe in downtown” are painted on the restaurant’s bright yellow exterior.
Alchian rents the building the restaurant is in, but owns a building on Tulare Street downtown. He also owns the two businesses inside it — Majestic Jewelry & Loan and Majestic Music & More.
He’s been keeping the restaurant afloat by subsidizing it with money from the pawn shop. He estimates he’s sunk more than $150,000 into the Downtown Deli. Much of it was spent adding a kitchen to the former print shop.
“It’s draining my pawn shop,” he said. “I’ll just stop the bleeding.”
Downtown workers
Alchian had been counting on nearby downtown workers to be customers at the sandwich shop: Multiple courthouses, City Hall, Community Regional Medical Center and Fresno Police Department.
But they’re still not all at full strength, he said.
Some employees are still working remotely, courts have limited access to the public and City Council meetings are still being held online.
Alchian tried selling food through DoorDash, Grubhub and online orders, but it wasn’t enough.
His troubles worsened in September, when he got sick with a mild case of COVID-19. He has mostly recovered.
“Obviously, it sucks, but it’s a learning experience,” he said. “I’ll tell everybody right now, if you’re thinking about opening a restaurant, don’t open until you get a vaccine.”
He plans to try to sell the business. If he doesn’t get any takers, he said he will reopen it sometime after a vaccine is available.
Downtown Deli’s last day is Friday, when it will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 12:31 PM.
