"Hyde Park cafe Flightpath Coffeehouse turned itself into a full-on neighborhood grocery store and commissary as businesses have changed service models in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic. That way, the coffee shop was able to stay open while also offering a way to help furloughed workers by offering at- or low-cost food items and help feed the neighborhood. "It became one of the only options available to us," said co-owner Jason Burch. After the mayor ordered the shuttering of Austin dining rooms in mid-March, "we were allowed to sell whole foods like other restaurants." Marketplaces and food stores were able to stay open during this time, because those services were considered essentials, and restaurants were able to still sell takeout and delivery orders. With that in mind, many restaurants, much like Flightpath, have added market components to their lineups, as a way to offer more items to customers while also making use of surplus stocks, during this time. Burch and co-owner Angela Catanzaro were already working with a vendor that sold organic products. On March 20, they shifted gears and turned the coffee shop into a store, dubbed Angie’s Bodega, where customers could buy organic produce and other food items such as flour, rice, and beans through its website or in person. Flight is also serving to-go coffee, which still accounts for much of its revenue. However, sales from the grocery has helped balance out the loss in business since March. Burch said the coffee shop came about $1,000 short of breaking even in March, which is still survivable for the business." - Nina Hernandez
