ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The owner of Pipo's Cuban Cafe, Ramon Hernandez, has pleaded with lawmakers for help after the economic fallout from the pandemic forced him to lay off 30 employees and temporarily close two restaurants in St. Petersburg.

"It's just a bad situation over all," said Hernandez. ​"It's unfortunate that after 40 years we're looking at the possibility of even closing down our stores." ​

What You Need To Know

  • Owner of St. Pete's Pipo's Cuban Cafe asking lawmakers for economic aid amid pandemic

  • Coronavirus forced Ramon Hernandez to lay off 30 employees and temporarily close two restaurants

  • READ Rep. Crist's letter on Restaurants Act 

Hernandez still has 12 employees at his restaurant located across the street from the Bay Pines V.A. but has been worried about how much longer his business can survive.

"We're not a national chain," he said. "We don't have the capacity and the funds and the investors and stuff like that to continue just to stay open and see what's going to happen."

On Thursday, U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) sent a letter urging Congressional leadership to pass the Restaurants Act before the end of the year that would provide $120 billion for struggling owners like Hernandez.

"The restaurants and bars that call Pinellas home are doing their best to navigate the unpredictable and keep their doors open during the pandemic," said Rep. Crist. “It’s clear many of our beloved neighborhood establishments won’t survive without much needed relief."

The letter was signed by 163 members of Congress, passed the House earlier this year as part of the The Heroes Act and has the support of 50 senators. 

The letter states nearly one in four jobs lost from the pandemic were those of restaurant and bar workers. The restaurant sector is the second-largest private employer after health care, and for countless Americans they provide the first opportunity for a job.

It also points out that despite bearing the brunt of this economic crisis, independent restaurants have received no directly tailored federal aid. 

Hernandez said a relief package can't come soon enough.

"I just wish the country comes together and really starts focusing on trying to get back the program," he said. "The main thing is that they make sure that the restaurants that are getting it really need it."