BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KELO) — Barrington Lewis, owner of Barrington's Jamaican Kitchen, says his business is struggling financially, but quitting is not an option and he is doing whatever he can to stay open. He said he plans to do this.
- The video shows Barrington Lewis cooking at a restaurant.
- Lewis said he has never taken out a bank loan in the seven years he has run the restaurant, forcing him to take cash advances from vendors, which cost him as much as $300 a day.
- Under the Entrepreneur Grant Program, the city has given Lewis $10,000 to keep going, but he says he needs another $25 to $30,000 to break even.
Barrington's Jamaican Kitchen is a taste of Jamaica right here in Bakersfield, but financial difficulties have put the business at risk of closing.
This island oasis serves up Jamaican delicacies and takes orders right in the middle of a Bakersfield shopping center.
“It's not just about cooking for me. It's a lot more than that,” said owner Barrington Lewis. “I feel like an ambassador for Jamaica.”
He embodies Jamaican culture in the kitchen.
“If you don't do it the way we do it back home, it's not authentic,” he said, chopping onions.
He cooks traditional dishes for his customers every day.
“I believe in my seasoning,” Lewis laughed.
He does all this while working on a hidden agenda.
“They see nothing but good food and smiles,” he said.
Lewis said in the seven years he's run the restaurant, he's never taken out a bank loan, forcing him to rely on merchant cash advances, costing him as much as $300 a day.
Rising expenses meant he was unable to pay his PGE bill and his electricity was cut off.
“This will power the whole building,” he said, pointing to the generator.
He relied on generators for power and the city of Bakersfield for funding.
The city has given Lewis $10,000 under its Entrepreneur Grant program to keep the business going, but he says he needs another $25,000 to $30,000 to break even.
“The situation is extremely tense for minority and black-owned businesses,” said Edward Robinson, president of the Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce.
According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, Black-owned businesses have suffered a 41% loss during the pandemic.
These challenges continue to affect Kern County, where minority-owned businesses account for just over 3,000 of the more than 10,000 businesses in the region.
“They're really struggling with access to capital, access to tools to ensure they're on a stronger financial footing,” Robinson said.
Despite financial hardship, Lewis continues to look forward.
“My goal is to put some of these up, not just around Kern County, but around California and maybe beyond, and it starts right here,” he smiled.
Lewis said closing is the worst-case scenario and they will do everything they can to stay in business.
Learn more about how you can support Lewis here.
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