It has been a tough few months for Francesca Chaney and her team at Sol Sips. 

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the Bushwick cafe owner to only offer takeout and deliver earlier this year. 

"The first couple of weeks, we definitely saw between 70 and 90% loss and that was very scary especially since that was the first time experiencing it,” said Chaney. 

However, Chaney says giving up was never an option. They introduced new offerings such as meal kits and virtual cooking classes. 

“We had to adapt,” said Chaney. 

 

One safety measure in place is making sure contactless ordering is available. All customers have to do is go online, place their order, and wait for it to be ready.

“That's a big measure for us because we just bring their food out to the curbside. We have a mask on, we have gloves on.  Everyone here keeps their mask on while they're here,” said Chaney. 

Chaney also says she’s excited about the support from the Altice Relief Program to help keep her business going. 

“It definitely added to the foot traffic. Because people are able to actually see Sol Sip on their TV screen,” said Chaney. 

It is something she says she’ll always be grateful for as they continue to adjust to a new normal.