Published in the April 12, 2021 edition.
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey was in Wakefield last week to call attention to the role that the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has played in helping small businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic and retain staff during the resulting economic downturn.
Markey was joined by a bipartisan group of state and local officials on Thursday afternoon as he visited Sabatino’s and Artichoke’s – two downtown restaurants that have benefitted from the PPP.
The Paycheck Protection Program was enacted as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27, 2020 in response to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
Markey’s first stop on Thursday was Sabatino’s at 330 Main Street, where he was greeted by Bill Sabatino, his wife Angela and daughter Carmela Nason, who operate the family-owned restaurant along with Bill and Angela’s two sons, Anthony and Joseph.
Markey noted that Bill and Angela Sabatino started their restaurant business 32 years ago in Boston’s North End before moving it to Malden. Sabatino’s has been in Wakefield for the last 10 years.
According to Wakefield’s Economic and Community Development Director Erin Kokinda, Sabatino’s received $140,000 through the PPP, which enabled the business to retain 17 employees through the pandemic.
In response to a question from Markey, the Sabatino’s agreed that the restaurant had been “doing great” before the pandemic hit.
“The Payroll Protection Program provided a life raft to make it to the other side of the pandemic,” Markey told them, “so you could survive and thrive the way you were before.”
Carmela Nason said that she hoped that things would be back to normal by July Fourth. She noted that the community supported the restaurant with take-out orders during the initial shutdown.
“The town is great,” she added. “The community is great.”
Markey noted that the PPP offered a lifeline to businesses like Sabatino’s that were suffering through no fault of their own.
“You didn’t have anything to do with the pandemic,” he observed. “You didn’t have anything to do with the economic crisis. You were going to be a victim. The Payroll Protection Plan was to make sure you were not going to be victimized and that you could come out on the other side.”
State Rep. Kate Lipper-Garabedian said that she was glad for the support from the federal level and noted that the state has also made available loans and grants for small businesses.
“This is a testament to Wakefield and all the local leaders and all your neighbors who support you,” she told the Sabatinos.
Rep. Donald Wong agreed.
“This shows what can happen when local government, state government and the federal government work together,” he said.
Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio recalled when the space was an old, abandoned mattress store.
“The family came in and had a vision to open this up,” he said. “It’s a great family restaurant.” He noted that during the pandemic, Sabatino’s provided trays of food to other businesses.
Town Council chair Ann Santos said that the beauty of Sabatino’s in addition to the food is that any time you step inside, you see a friend or someone you know and you are always warmly greeted by the owners.
“The PPP allowing Sabatino’s to survive is as important to Wakefield as it is to Sabatino’s,” she said.
Town Councilor Edward Dombroski noted that the Town Council worked with local restaurants during the pandemic to provide outdoor seating options that have now become a permanent feature.
Moving across Main Street to Artichoke’s, the senator was greeted by owners Ralph and Maria LaVita.
Markey said that Artichokes has been one of his favorite eateries going back to the days when it was located in Malden and he would pick up takeout and bring it to his father at the family home on Townshend Street.
The LaVitas moved their restaurant to Wakefield in 2009, opening in the former Wakefield YMCA building at 317 Main St.
Asked by Markey how the pandemic impacted the business, Ralph LaVita said that when the pandemic hit, the restaurant closed. He noted that Artichokes had always been a sit-down restaurant and take-out was not something they did.
“We shut down and hoped the pandemic would blow over fast,” he said. “With the help of the Payroll Protection Program and the president and the senators in Congress, here we are a year later.”
According to Wakefield Economic Development Director Erin Kokinda, the $81,500 in PPP funds that Artichokes received in March of 2020 helped them to retain 24 employees.
Like Sabatino’s, Artichokes is back open for business and things are starting to look up.
“From where we were a year ago to today, things are a lot more promising,” LaVita said, as people come out to support restaurants.
State Rep. Donald Wong said that he could sympathize with the LaVitas. “My family has a restaurant business so we know how tough it is for restaurants,” he said.
Santos said that she was glad the federal government saw the need and stepped in to help. “I’m so grateful you stuck with it,” she said. “We know it was hard.”
Maio also commended the LaVitas for hanging on through the pandemic and surviving after investing so much in their restaurant.
“The vision you had to come here – this was an abandoned YMCA,” he observed. “You took a complete leap to come here.”
Sen. Markey also had some flattering word for the town during the course of his visit. He noted that Wakefield was part of his district when he was in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“I think of Wakefield as the perfect town,” he said, with a nod toward Lake Quannapowitt. “The whole thing is right out of a picture book.”
