Oral History #1

Throughout the span of almost 4 hours, Joanne and I had exhausted entire streets in the pursuit of finding a single employee who would be willing to be interviewed. We found ourselves drawn toward the melodious tunes of Latin American music in music shops and the beguiling aromas of freshly-baked loaves in local bakeries. Unfortunately we also found ourselves being indifferently rejected time and time again. For once, I empathized with Ellick’s own frustration over the detachment and nonchalance he experienced when visiting immigrant enclaves. However, I also understood that there were many managers who were occupied and were dissuaded from providing a 20-minute interview; moreover, as Joanne noted, there were others who may have simply been “afraid”.

Nonetheless, at the corner of a block, we found a spacious, dimly-lit restaurant called Kahlua’s Cafe and Restaurant. The walls of the restaurant are lined with aged, charming posters and paintings from Mexico. Strangely, there was not a single customer in the elaborately-decorated restaurant. The owner seemed initially ambivalent to provide an interview remarking that it was “weird”, which I initially took as another rebuff by a store owner. Nonetheless, as he took a seat, he kindly began answering each of our questions with ample detail. The restaurant had remarkably been in business for over 17 years. Though many restaurants choose to subdue seasonings in order to appeal to a wider range of palates, the owner stressed that he is committed to preserving the authentic flavors and dishes of Mexican cuisine. The store owner’s background was an embodiment of the immigrant struggle. After immigrating from Mexico, he described how he had initially worked as a factory worker. With his brother who worked at a restaurant in Soho, he opened a restaurant in Harlem, one of the first Mexican restaurants in the area. Though he expected that it would not be very difficult to maintain a restaurant, he quickly realized that it was demanding. Employees were generally amiable, but he has confronted employees who provoked a very hostile, demoralizing environment. City regulations have only made working in small business all the more strenuous. Initially, Harlem didn’t provide a great deal of residential housing. However, over the years, the owner described a burgeoning atmosphere of competition in the neighborhood, which can make it difficult for restaurants such as his to sustain distinction in the area. The restaurant has still maintained a loyal customer base consisting of Puerto Ricans and Mexicans; to attract new customers, the owner described that he does take part in marketing such as handing out pamphlets along the main street in Harlem. Nonetheless, the most burdensome issue for the owner was notably the uncooperative nature of city policies and agents. Policies such as requirements to pay for the health insurances of his employees have proven particularly dispiriting for a small business owner like himself. He described the absurdity of him having to pay for the damaged phones of employees under legal policy. He underscored that the employees and him ensure that the restaurant is consistently hygienic and organized; thus, the restaurant is always prepared for potential visits from the health inspector. Occasionally however, the owner described having to pay hundreds of dollars in fines for recently-implemented violations, which he would not have been able to mend immediately such as those involving infrastructure and pipes. More disheartening was the idea that he knew that going to court to express the injustice of receiving such fines would ultimately be futile; he perceived that the law would ultimately be in favor of federal officials over small business owners. He describes having to remove many of his best paintings and posters on the restaurant’s walls after an issue with the pipes on the ceiling. The owner expressed his frustration over the fact that though the restaurant has gradually grown smaller over the years to improve infrastructure, rent has inflated. Nonetheless, though he would appreciate government funding or programs to support his business, he was pessimistic of such a prospect. In his words, government “only cares about money”. Still, he is affiliated with independent not-for-profit organizations such as Accion USA, which has assisted small business owners, such as Kahlua’s, by offering loans. The owner clings to the hope that his business will endure decades from now, but with the burdensome impact of government on small business and the escalating competition in the area, he is uncertain. Speaking with the owner was a very humbling, eye-opening experience for us. It is saddening to think of the lack of faith small business owners have in government institutions and the considerable truth that is inherent in their apprehensions.