Restaurants and Cafes In Syracuse Struggle To Survive

Restaurants in Syracuse are struggling along with the economy. "People are not coming in a lot," says Karen Bhassen, the owner of Cafe Gyro Basha. Some people, however, are still optimistic. "It's a little bit of a struggle, says Robin Barber who works at Mimi's Cafe, "but we haven't gone under yet."

However the economy is just one reason why cafes are faring badly. Bhassen says that most cafes in this area survive on the business brought in by Syracuse University students. So when they are away, sales are down. Barber says that Blue Cross moving away was a big blow to local restaurants.

Cafes are cutting prices and jobs in order to reduce costs. A Syracuse resident, Barbara Groth says that cafes will have to run specials and make a concerted effort to attract customers in this economy.