LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In Friday’s “We’re Open” a local business shares how it is constantly finding ways to adjust and survive during the ongoing pandemic.
13 Action News Anchor Nina Porciuncula takes you to Matcha Cafe Maiko in Chinatown, as it continues to serve up sweets while giving back to frontline workers.
MATCHA CAFE MAIKO
Matcha Cafe Maiko is business owner Hang Wong’s dream come true. It started with serving matcha or Japanese green tea based desserts until Hang expanded the menu and added food items. "It's getting better and better and better you know at first people we don't know what matcha is and the items on the menu and then very quickly we had a lot of loyal customers."
The 2-year-old business was taking off until the pandemic hit. "I would say probably the business have dropped to like 20 to 30% and summer is a busy season," says Wong. "I definitely can feel the stress you know and then there's a lot of cost that people don't see that's behind to run the business and we put a lot of time and effort into the business."
Matcha Cafe adapted. Hang changed the way they do business. "Very quickly that we sign up with delivery services in town and also we develop our ice cream in the pint as well so people can I buy and take home because most our menu item you have to eat it right away."
The dining room area remains closed to not overburden the staff already busy serving customers and sanitizing different areas all day. "(We) definitely have to cut some hours. some shifts we used to have two or three people to work and now sometimes there's only one person that's working during the shift," says Wong.
They’ve installed plexi glass on the register to protect employees. Customers must wear masks. Inside there are no-touch menus.
THANKING FRONTLINE WORKERS
Even when the business is still trying to find its footing during these challenging times, Wong finds the time to give back.
He’s been to some local hospitals to give sweet treats to frontline workers. "We haven't seen anybody doing dessert and I always thought that you don't desserts will make people happy so we decided to do that. When they saw the ice cream, they were like oh ice cream! Matcha! They were very happy."
As we all navigate through this pandemic, Wong says they’ll continue to find ways to give back, adapt and stay positive. "We have a clientele that is from kids to like older older people and everybody loves it."
WHERE TO FIND MATCHA CAFE MAIKO
3400 S Jones Blvd #3, Las Vegas, NV 89146 (Jones and Desert Inn)
For more information, check out theirwebsite.
