SALT LAKE CITY — C.A.R.E.S Act protection for around 10,000 Utahn’s runs out on December 26th and the Paycheck Protection Loans (PPP are also running out.
Washington D.C. lawmakers including Utah Senator Mitt Romney released their plan for a new stimulus plan but what does that mean for local businesses?
“I really hope that they will pass that” Meili Myles told FOX13.
Myles owns Burgers Grilled Right in Sugar House and because things have been slow, more aid to keep her restaurant going is a welcome sight.
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“With restaurants we have really thin margins and when we experience sales decrease up to 40% you know we're are not gonna make it.” She says adding “As we are getting slow, we have to reduce our employee's hours and I had to lay off a couple of people.”
Burgers Grilled Right was started in 2017 and Myles has tried to do everything she can to be an important part of the community, including giving back to various local places during December.
Right now, though business is coming in waves “I usually turn on the news and when it says like 4 or 3 thousand [cases]” She says “then I know the next day is going to be super quiet.”
Myles has had to lay some employees off telling us that was a really hard thing for her to have to do but knowing that a protection was there during the pandemic was very helpful.
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“it makes me feel a little better” She says “and I did tell them that … when we get busy again… when we get grants, we will bring you back on.”
But when asked if no new stimulus bill was passed and those protections for both the unemployed and small businesses ran out, she honestly told us “I don’t think a lot of us could hang on.”
So as Washington continues to work out the details locally Meili Myles stressed for everyone to shop local and said “support us support the local businesses the small businesses… that’s going to go a long way for us.