Restaurateur Lays Off Staff Because of Occupy Wall St.

Marc Epstein, owner of the five-month-old Milk Street Cafe in the FiDi, says that he was forced to lay off 21 staff members earlier this week because the Occupy Wall Street movement is hurting his business.

DNA Info reports that sales at the restaurant have dropped 30% since the protests started. Epstein partially blames the police barricades that are in front of his cafe, but also the fact that there just aren't a lot of lunchers in the FiDi these days:

Now, Wall Street is deserted....The only people who walk down Wall Street are people who have to walk down Wall Street. It's transformed from a beautiful pedestrian mall to a police siege.

He's contacting the city about getting those barricades moved, but Epstein thinks his business could shutter in about three weeks if nothing changes. Maybe some of the protestors can lend a helping hand and buy a panini or something.
· Financial District Cafe Lays Off 21 Workers [DNA Info]
· All Coverage of Occupy Wall Street [~ENY~]
[Photo]

Milk Street Cafe

40 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005