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Daily Camera
Monday, May 11, 2009
Reviewing the first quarter of Boulder's economy
Corrado Fasano, an owner of downtown Boulder Italian restaurant Bacaro, said he received an "unbelievable" amount of applications when he hired a full-time server and a full-time manager. But what was more surprising, he said, were the types of people who applied.
"In the past, when we've put in ads for jobs, we see just the kids from (the University of Colorado)," he said. "This time ... I would see people coming in to interview who were 50, 55 years old."
Sales tax revenue
Up until the end of last year, Fasano's restaurant performed well. In fact, he said, it was one of the best years in the company's 10-year history.
However, when the markets crashed and economy weakened, the seats grew emptier, especially on the early weekdays.
Fasano decided it would be more productive to not panic, but to be proactive. He hired additional staff, reduced the prices of some menu items, added more small plates and remodeled some parts of the restaurant.
"It's a little bit of a risk, but I feel pretty good about the steps I've taken," he said, adding that a good amount of summer bookings at the restaurant has boosted his confidence.
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