The COVID-19 pandemic has closed many businesses, but it's opened doors for others.
Island Falafel & More began serving affordable, health-conscious meals out of Chamorro Village Dec. 1, and the team from Primo Pizzakaya plans to open shop for its latest Tumon-based venture, Savage Sandwich Co., by the end of this month.
Both businesses credit the pandemic for allowing them the downtime needed to launch.
Guam-raised Rosabelle Malones was a corporate accounts and banquets manager at Holiday Resort before running her Chamorro Village falafel stall. Like thousands across island, she was quickly out of work when COVID-19 hit and the tourism industry faltered. Within a few weeks of the first islandwide shutdown in spring, she found herself itching for something to do.