Show Local economy gets a boost from restaurant Cafe Caf Rio shows it belongs iri in Taylorsville x i 1 Isaiah Prows Contributing Writer Since the opening of Cafe Caf Rio business has never been better Owners and managers managers at Plaza have noticed an increase in sales since Feb 22 Cafe Caf Rio gave a 2000 donation to West Ridge Academy a charitable organization that helps troubled teens But that's not all they've given With their presence in Taylorsville the local economy has also been on the receiving end of a abig abig abig big gift We have been making an additional additional addi add i- i one to two thousand dollars dollar a week said former student and manager of Super Cuts Teleena Manzanares Its all because of Caf Ri Rio o. o Even with discounts given to stu stu- stu- stu dents for showing their student ID cards Manzanares credits the increase in business to the Mexican grill When Cafe Caf Rio announced the new Taylorsville location not all neighboring stores were excited that they were c coming ming We are concerned when any new restaurant opens in the neighborhood neighborhood neighborhood neighbor neighbor- hood said Doug Cooley owner of Leatherby's Family Creamery But we were pleasantly surprised to be positively influenced by their open open- ing Other stores like Game Crossing Smiths Smith's and X Gen-X couldn't make enough money in the area to stay around but Cooley hopes Cafe Caf Rio stands the test of time With a lot of businesses coming and going we hope Cafe Caf Rio solidifies solidifies solidifies fies the viability of the shopping center said Cooley Leatherby's has called Plaza home for more than 20 years and expects to build a long relationship with its neighbor Cafe Rio Cont Cant on Page 8 r 4 JI f r rr JIB A AThe r 1 z E 1 The addition of Cafe Caf Rio to Plaza at South Redwood Road has revitalized an area that has struggled for several years Cafe Rio Cont from Page 3 According to Best of the neighboring restaurants Leatherby's Family Creamery and Cafe Caf CafeRio CafeRio Ri Rio have both r received awards Leatherby's for the best ice cream and Cafe Caf Rio for the best burrito General Manager of Caf Cafe CafeRio Rio Gianni Santamaria remembers passing by the parking lot of the strip mall before they opened The parking lot is nothing like it was said Santamaria h Its now full Santamaria feels strongly that Cafe Caf Rio helped put Plaza on the map and if the theother theother theother other restaurants are getting busier its it's because of them We dont don't think we bring people in we know w we bring people in said Santamaria If people find our lines too long they will go somewhere else General Manager Shawn Humphreys of Arby's agrees with Santamaria Our sales have increased on an average of 19 percent a Cafe Caf Rio came ana anait's week ek sin since e don dont don't t want ift its it's because people said in lines to wait vait Humphreys Cafe Caf Rio workers clai claim they instantly became as busy as their other Mexican grill r restaurants beca because se of the location Along with the other restaurant and shop owners Santamaria feels they have a prime location surrounded by traffic and schools With a variety of food and most mosi visitors to activities Plaza think the businesses business business- es compliment each oth other r. r I |