Cafe Owner Says He Was Forced to Cut Staff by Nearly a Fourth Because of 'Occupy' Protests

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

A New York City cafe cut its staff by nearly 25 percent last week because of lost business due to the ongoing Occupy Wall Street protests, the cafe's owner told FoxNews.com.

Marc Epstein, owner of the Milk Street Cafe at 40 Wall Street in lower Manhattan, said he had to cut 21 of the 97 members of his staff on Thursday and Friday after seeing sales plummet by 30 percent in the six weeks since the protests began. He's also been forced to slash the restaurant operating hours, moving up his closing time from 9 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.

The incessant noise and police activity aside, Epstein said the biggest obstacle to his business has been the ubiquitous New York police barricades surrounding Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan.

"It's not only a physical impediment, it's a psychological impediment," Epstein told FoxNews.com. "You look down Wall Street now, and it looks like it's under siege. So, people who have to walk down Wall Street don't walk down Wall Street. It used to be a beautiful pedestrian mall, and now it's not -- it's ugly."

If the barricades are not removed, Epstein said he "cannot see" how his business could sustain itself. The eatery, which opened in June, is a $4 million venture and is an expansion of the Boston restaurant he and his wife opened decades earlier.

"It's my first venture in New York and my last venture in New York," he said.

Epstein said he has pleaded with city officials, the New York police and his landlord, Donald Trump, to get the barricades removed, but he has been unable to get a return call from the city and the New York police. He was told by Trump himself, however, that the real estate mogul would try to contact city officials in hopes of removing the barricades.

Marc LaVorgna, a spokesman for Mayor Michael Bloomberg, said city officials are discussing potential solutions with Milk Street Cafe and other businesses near the protests on an ongoing basis.

"We have been working with businesses and the community to address the issues caused by the protests and will continue to do so," he told FoxNews.com.

FoxNews.com's calls seeking comment from New York police officials were not returned on Tuesday.
________

Welcome to the Occupation...

[Evad]

The occupiers are ruining many things, including small businesses.

 

It is their OBJECTIVE.

[clearvision]

Amazing how when you go after the "1%" lots of the "99%" jobs are at risk.

[NCTexan]

These miscreants are the new poster children of the DEM establishment.

 

 

 

 

They are exactly like the Tea Party protesters... only slightly different.

 

 

BTW, The Tea Party guys are not without blame. I did hear that one of them got ticketed for playing his fife too loudly!

[Pepper]

Evad! NCTexan! Clearvision!

 

"Milk Street Cafe at 40 Wall Street "

 

His staff worked on Wall Street.

 

They no longer work on Wall Street.

 

Q.E.D.

[NCTexan]

Pepper! Evad! Clearvision! SrWoodChuck! and Casino!

 

From "Big Government"... the Rap sheet (so far).

 

Incredible!

 

Big Government

[Pepper]

Great comment from Nolte:

 

Recently, President Obama said that the Occupiers are just like the Tea Party.

 

It is uncanny the resemblance.

[NCTexan]

And more on the OWS crowd from the NYPost.

 

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/occupy_ball_street_aIoZXVqZ3hU8Zm9oX5aGWM

 

Occupy ‘ball’ street

Rush for STD tests

 

By LAURA ITALIANO, FRANK ROSARIO and BOB FREDERICKS

 

It’s the Autumn of Love!

 

Occupy Wall Street protesters are flocking to nearby health clinics for STD and HIV testing after getting their freak on in ’60s-style hookups with crusty strangers, sources told The Post yesterday.

 

“Last week was free love,” said a medical professional at a clinic located a short walk from Zuccotti Park, referring to the number of people who organizers have referred for sexually transmitted disease testing.

 

A volunteer at the park admitted concern among protesters about STDs.

 

[SrWoodchuck]

Wall Street 1%-----------------MAIDS.

 

OWS 99%-------------------------AIDS.

 

The occupiers all have Obama Simplex 2012, from sexual congress through illicit Unions.