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Small businesses all across the city are struggling to keep their doors open amid reduced employee hours, layoffs and irreparable revenue loss. But even so, they are stepping up to serve their community.
Cafe of the Square General Manager Esther Henk has worked at Cafe on the Square for 18 years. According to her, the original Cafe on the Square began in the 1980s where the Black Rabbit Saloon is now. In 1995, Owner Mike Dawoud purchased the cafe and later moved it to its current location at 126 N. LBJ Drive in 1999, where it has served the community as a local hot spot ever since.
Now, through support from the community, Cafe on the Square is stepping up to provide over 1,500 free meals to those in need.
Recently Dawoud had been given a little money by several friends to help feed people in need during this time, Henk said. So he decided to speak to Mayor Jane Hughson to see how best to go about using those funds and they came up with the idea to donate meals to the Southside Community Center.
But Henk said it didn’t stop there. More donations started coming in and Dawoud matched each of them with food from the cafe until, as of April 15, the cafe received enough funds to provide 1,500 free meals, according to Henk.
“When people started catching wind of what was happening, the donations just started pouring in,” Henk said. “It was fantastic and it just blew our mind how wonderful people were being and trying to support the community.”
Henk said they started receiving enough funds to also support the Greater San Marcos Youth Council (GSMYC), a local nonprofit children’s residential shelter, in addition to the South Side Community Center. Every Monday they deliver food to SouthSide Community Center and every Wednesday they provide food for the GSMYC.
Cafe on the Square hasn’t been untouched by the pandemic, according to Henk. Employees hours have been cut and the dining room — that is usually abuzz with chatter and happy diners — now sits empty except for the staff.
“Everybody's hours have been cut drastically and Mike is doing everything he can to support the employees — offering them free meals — because he knows that it's difficult for everybody at this time,” Henk said.
But Henk said they are using this time to reach out to the community in whatever ways they can.
“Of course, this is not typical and we’re used to a crowded restaurant all day and it's kind of quiet around here at times now, but we’re reaching out on our social media and starting to get the word out and finding different techniques and different ways and avenues of reaching out to everyone,” she said. “We're just coming together as a cafe family and posting on social media and trying to get out into the community that we're still open and we’re still here for everyone.”
Henk said that, more than anything, it comes down to supporting the community that has supported them for over 20 years.
“Our customers are more than just customers. We're all family,” Henk said. “And our customers, they're very loyal and so supportive and so we'd like to give that back to our town and we'll be here for them for as long as we possibly can.”
Cafe on the Square is accepting donations to help the cause and will match them to continue serving meals to those in need for the next few weeks. Donations can be made over the phone at 512-396-9999 or via check, which can be dropped off through the cafe’s curbside pick-up service.
In addition to matching donations made to feed people at the SouthSide Community Center and GSMYC, they are also currently offering free meals to first responders and those working in the medical field as well as 50% off for individuals 65 and over.
The Cafe on the Square dining room is closed and they are on reduced hours of 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, but they are offering curbside pickup orders — call 512-396-9999 to place an order — and delivery through UberEats, GrubHub and Favor. They are also offering family-style meals. For more information, go to the Cafe on the Squares’ Facebook page.
