WAUWATOSA — Sustaining business during the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be quite a challenge for many local businesses. Alioto's in Wauwatosa is no exception.
From a makeshift office inside a window-side booth, owner Tom Warren works feverishly to keep the family business going. The restaurant has served the Milwaukee area for 97 years.
"We've been serving a lot of these customers for a long time," Warren said.
From depressions to recessions and now COVID-19, Warren said it's extremely tough not being able to host customers through such a difficult time.
"We're their comfort zone," he said. "We've grown up with a lot of these people."
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Those customers, along with the restaurant, are now adjusting to new normals.
"Sometimes, they'll just call and ask, 'how are you doing?' Because they miss us, and they know we miss them," Warren said.
To keep things going, Alioto's opened up a drive-thru carryout. Warren said it makes his day when he sees a loyal customer coming to pick up a menu or order.
"It's nice. It makes you feel like you're doing the right thing," Warren said.
Currently, the restaurant operates with just 15 percent of its full staff. Warren is optimistic about a better future.
"From one day to the next, you don't know. It's the uncertainty that we're all facing and trying to understand that life will get better. It always does." Warren said.
For more information on Alioto's, visit their website.