How to Support Local Businesses in Cicero During COVID-19
By April Alonso
The coronavirus pandemic and Governor J.B. Pritzker’s stay at home order issued on March 20th, have put a strain on local businesses in Cicero, many of which are immigrant-owned.
Rossy Ayala, owner of Cien 100% Naturalisimo, a vegetarian and vegan restaurant that also offers health coaching, has seen a drop in customers this past week.
“Right now the whole world isn’t going out, the economy is very wasted, and all of that has affected us,” Ayala said. “But hopefully they [people] can come here, truthfully, because this is a place of health to improve the immune system.”
Con Huevos, a restaurant off of Cermak, is in a similar position. Its owner, who we will refer to as Dueña, requested us not use her name for this story. Dueña estimates that about 90 percent of their activity has dropped.
“We aren’t able to sustain ourselves,” Dueña said. “That is why we had to reduce our staff in this case, I am in the kitchen and my daughter is taking orders outside.”
The coronavirus pandemic and the stay at home order has also forced local businesses to limit their staff.
Con Huevos currently only has four workers. She and her daughter, plus a delivery driver and a cook who only works on the weekends so that he can have some income.
Cien 100% Naturalisimo has three delivery drivers plus Ayala who is now doing the cooking and manages orders. Everyone else was laid off.
“I am the one that makes the food, everything,” Ayala said.
Despite the hardship during this time, both Dueña and Ayala remain hopeful.
“Sometimes we want to close down because the money coming in isn’t sufficient to sustain the restaurant,” Dueña said. ”We put ourselves in the shoes of the people that are our clients and we decide to stay open because we know that there are people by themselves or they don’t have family...if they’re hungry, there’s a place open for them.”
Dueña reminds everyone that, “Con huevos la vida es más feliz!”
Ayala also has hope in how the community can work together during this time.
“We all should be aware that this isn’t about helping one person but about helping each other. We have to get together and consume at the small businesses in your area.”
Below is a list put together by Cicero Independiente of some of our favorite places that are still open for delivery or carry out. Let us know if we missed any by emailing us at info@ciceroindependiente.com.
Cien 100% Naturalisimo:
Address: 2709 S. Ridgeland Ave., Berwyn
Hours of Operation: 10am-3pm
Order by phone: (708) 317-5679
Delivery or curbside pick up
All card payment accepted
Favorite/Popular dish:
Mushroom panini
Vegan hamburgers
Delicious spinach pancakes and gold milk
Con Huevos:
Address: 5709 W. Cermak Rd., Cicero
Hours of Operation: Sun-Thurs: 7am - 4pm, Fri-Sat: 7am-5pm (hours from google, hours may have changed due to stay at home order)
Orders by phone: (708) 477-4163
Delivery orders through Uber Eats, GrubHub, Doordash
Orders available for Curbside pick up
Favorite/Popular dish:
Chilaquiles Special: choose your salsa, with beans and two eggs, your style and meat (arrachera, rib eye, chicken breast or carnitas)
Dulce Mami:
Address: 3109 S. 49th Ave., Cicero
Hours of Operation: 8am to 5pm every day
Order by phone: (708) 477-6028
Delivery and pick up.
Favorite/Popular dish:
Banana, strawberry, nutella crepes
Cafe de Olla
Chilaquiles
Rico Antojo:
Address: 6111 W. Roosevelt Rd., Cicero
Hours of Operation: Fri-Sat: 10am-8pm, Sun-Thurs: 10am-7pm (hours may have changed due to stay at home order)
Order by phone: (708) 683 - 6184
Curbside Pick-Up or Delivery through Doordash
Favorite/Popular dish:
Immunity Booster smoothie
Cicero Bakery
Address: 4838 W. Cermak Rd., Cicero
Hours of Operation: 5 am- 10pm
Curbside pickup, staff will get your bread and ring you up
Favorite/Popular dish:
Ojos de pancha
All the other pan you may have a craving for
Aracelys Bakery
Address: 5920 W. Cermak Rd., Cicero
Hours of Operation: 5 am-7pm
Curbside pickup, staff will get your bread and ring you up
Favorite/Popular dish:
All the pan you may desire
Torta Mexicana and Combinada
Tamales
Mis Chilaquiles
Address: 5735 W. 16th St., Cicero
Hour of Operation: Call ahead, hours vary because of the order
Order by phone: (708) 477-6454
Curbside pick up and delivery available
Favorite/Popular dish:
All kinds of chilaquiles!
Tacos de cochinita pibil
