AVONDALE, AZ — Kids are at home and many Arizonans are dealing with financial unknowns amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The same is for restaurant owners around town, who also want you to know that they are open and working hard to keep their doors open, customers fed, and employees working.
For our latest "We're Open, Arizona" highlight, we're headed to Avondale where a cafe wants to help everyone find a little relief in these uncertain times.
Sipping Sisters Cafe offers comfort food from the East Coast and the West Coast, all in one place. If you haven't heard of it yet, that's likely because it is a brand new business in the Valley.
Owner Heather Peoples opened her cafe just as the coronavirus pandemic changed the daily lives of many in Arizona.
"The 14th of March was our grand opening... So, right before the shut down hit," she said. "We had festivals lined up that we unfortunately lost because everything was shut down. We were counting on those festivals to help get our cash flow going, and it's slow to get it going now."
Like a lot of cafes and restaurants around town, she, too, needs your help.
"I have a very small staff. There's only five of us and I'm trying to keep them paid," she said. "I'm not getting paid, but they are getting paid... I don't give up. I never have and I'm not going to go down. We are going to make it, somehow," she said.
The menu features her family recipes, including mac and cheese with pork, bacon, and sausage; smoked meatloaf made the way her mom prepared it; her dad's potato salad; and bacon Apple pie. They are open for takeout and delivery through Postmates, UberEats, and DoorDash.
She has all kinds of drinks, like coffee, tea, and frozen specialties that combine ice cream and coffee.
They are also dog-friendly. They make their own dog treats and Puppuccinos, she said. Proceeds from the dog treats and pounds of coffee roast benefit The Big Mutt Network, a nonprofit dog rescue.
Heather told us that when she was growing up, her parents worked in the government. As a family, they would move about every 18 months or so. They learned about the staples in each place they lived, and now offer those items on this menu.
Sipping Sisters Cafe has also launched a GoFundMe on their website in hopes to continue to pay the bills.
IF YOU GO:
308 N Central Ave, Avondale, AZ 85323
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We're Open, Arizona: We know this is a tough time for a lot of people in our community, including local restaurants and businesses. As local spots continue to serve takeout, look for ways to safely do business, and give back to our community, we want to share their stories. Visit abc15.com/open or email us at OpenInAZ@abc15.com.
