East Mesa diners have shown up for local businesses to help them through the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, providing patronage, words of encouragement, and patience.
For that, Sonson’s Pasty Co. is saying thank you to its customers who have allowed the small, locally-owned restaurant to continue its operations through the pandemic, and even keep all of its employees.
“All of our customers come in and they’re always so nice,” said Julie Mercer. “They always give us encouragement; they give us a laugh and a chat. It’s really sweet, it’s so nice and it’s kept us all going.”
Throughout the pandemic, Sonson’s Pasty Co. has provided its authentic, Cornish pasties to go, offering ready-to-eat, take and bake, and even frozen options to help give families easy meal options to enjoy while supporting a local business.
Now, it’s re-opened its doors for in-restaurant dining with continued precautions to keep its customers safe.
“We’ve separated the tables out so that everybody is at a safe distance from one another, but we’ll still be able to have that family feel and community,” said Julie.
For those that would like to continue dining at home, Sonson’s Pasty Co. will still have its takeout and curbside options. As the industry continues to return to normal, Julie and her team have found it most helpful when customers call ahead for all orders — ensuring the items they’d like are ready to go, and helping the restaurant minimize food waste.
“It’s fantastic when they call ahead because I like to have their food prepared for them, ready to go when they get here,” said Julie. “Then it’s quick in and out, and nobody feels that they can’t get what they want.”
Sonson’s has also thanked the community with sales events that have provided the restaurant with additional business to help boost sales during the pandemic.
“We did a couple of sales events to give back to the community where we put items on sale, but because everyone has responded so well, it’s helped us,” said Julie. “It helps us pay the bills and keep everybody employed. It’s been a great give and take.”
These promotions and the increased community support have allowed Sonson’s Pasty Co. to continue, despite decreased foot traffic and a substantial loss of catering orders.
“We’ve lost a lot in catering, but I can’t complain,” said Julie. “There are so many other catering establishments that maybe aren’t going to bounce back from this. So as long as we can keep going day by day, bit by bit, we’ve got to be grateful. I pray and hope for the other places that they can stay on their feet.”
Sonson’s Pasty Co. is located at 6060 E. Brown Road in Mesa. For more information, visit sonsonspastyco.com, or call (480) 845-8485.