Stonington — Water Street Café co-owner Stephanie Hayes-Houlihan was glad U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal visited her establishment Wednesday afternoon.
As a way to both better understand the struggles of business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic and promote how a new stimulus package can help restaurants such as Hayes-Houlihan’s, Blumenthal went to Match Restaurant in South Norwalk and Water Street Café on Wednesday. He met with the owners of each restaurant to discuss maintaining their businesses amid a downturn caused by the pandemic.
Blumenthal and Hayes-Houlihan said they’d talked early on in the pandemic about the challenges facing restaurants. He spoke of the need for funds among small businesses throughout the state and country.