Restaurant owners on Main Street are thriving amid the pandemic.

Horn BBQ, Matt Horn's first restaurant in Oakland, was launched during the pandemic in fall 2020. Despite facing numerous challenges, including location and regulations, Horn successfully opened the restaurant. Now, with his second concept, Kowbird, just down the street, Horn is prepared to execute his pandemic playbook.

The fried chicken restaurant, similar to his original BBQ spot, attracted a line of fans and community support upon opening. Although the focus is currently on pre-orders, the owner hopes to return to a sense of normalcy in the future.

Horn stated that it has been great to launch Kowbird during the pandemic, with many people expressing satisfaction with the opening, particularly within the community. He added, "It's really cool to have something positive to look forward to amidst all the negative news we're constantly bombarded with."

Despite ongoing labor challenges and major inflation headwinds, Horn BBQ's business has grown over the last year, as it was added to Michelin's Bib Gourmand list of best affordable eateries. The chef takes pride in the long lines of locals waiting to eat at one of his concepts.

"As soon as I see the line, my first thought is gratitude for people's attendance, followed by a sense of urgency on my team to process orders quickly," he stated.

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Despite the pandemic, restaurants like Horn's have experienced success and growth. However, the National Restaurant Association predicts that 90,000 locations have closed in the past two years, with some temporarily and others permanently. Half of all operators believe it will take a year or more for sales to return to normal.

The latest CNBC/SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey for Q1 reports that Main Street sentiment remains unchanged, with overall confidence remaining at 44. Despite this, labor and inflation issues continue to persist. Almost three-quarters of small business owners are experiencing higher costs for supplies, and 47 percent are raising their own prices as a result, which is an increase of 8 percentage points from Q4 2021.

April Anderson's Good Cakes and Bakes in Detroit, Mich., has experienced significant growth and success, similar to Horn's over the past year. In response to customer demand, Anderson shifted focus towards delivery, particularly during the pandemic.

Anderson stated that we needed to increase our speed.

Anderson, who grossed more than $1 million for the first time in 2021, is preparing to open up a facility dedicated to the shipping business later this year. She reached out to Goldbelly, which ships regional and artisanal foods across the U.S., and connected with the platform to grow her cake delivery from 20 cakes a day to up to 100 cakes a day.

"The growth we've achieved has shown me that my clarity and forward thinking before the pandemic were beneficial," she stated.

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