The Barstool Fund - Laskara
Up next: Laskara (Wallingford, CT)
Laskara means "safe or smooth harbor" in Greek….and the restaurant by that name offers a pleasant and unhurried eating experience with good Greek and Mediterranean food.
Reader Email
First I would like to say this is amazing what you are doing. Restaurants are the heartbeat of America and we are CRUMBLING.
My parents immigrated from Greece in 1981 with no money. My father not speaking English started working at a pizza joint. In 1984,he bought the place and started his first pizza place. His dream was a fine dining Greek restaurant,so in 1999 we opened Laskara Restaurant and are still there.
Every one of our employees have been with us since day 1,and we are a true family. THEY HAVE BERN ON OUR PAYROLL ALL YEAR, even closed completely for 2 months and now at 50% capacity.
My father was sick and we did not know, and in August of 2015 his heart stopped and he passed away. He was so sick and never asked for help (stubborn Greek),he was in major tax debt and we had no idea. In September of 2019,we filed for chapter 11 and were doing great…seeing profit and making all payments. Then covid hit,and the courts dismissed us because we had no income.
Creditors are hounding us and if we lose the business,my mother also loses her house.
A sit down fine dining restaurant in CT does not do well with restrictions and with an older clientele they are listening to the media and not coming out. New England doesn't fair well with outdoor in the winter lol.
Our customers are very supportive and we love our community dearly. We even had a customer donate thousands of dollars worth of plexiglass to do our entire restaurant.
I love my staff,I love my community and it's heartbreaking to see everyone struggle. My mother and I have not taken one cent since March,in order to pay our staff. I will not put a dollar amount because the numbers I need are huge,but ANYTHING would help right now to pay employees,taxes,and utilities.
This is the last piece of my father that we all have and would be devastated to have to close the doors. Please help and thank you! You are amazing
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Maria Riopel