Pooja Dhingra Closes South Mumbai Cafe Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Pooja Dhingra has decided to close down Le15 Cafe that she started at 23 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. She revealed the news through a self-written article in the travel magazine CNT. The young entrepreneur and celebrity chef wrote in CN Traveller that she realized early this March things would have to change. Although her beloved cafe was celebrating its 10th anniversary, she was worried about the effect coronavirus would have on the business.

Her worries were not unfounded. One of her investors warned her of bleak times ahead. Pooja Dhingra tried her best to rally the troops and conducted a training session with her Le15 team on March 12. However, Le15 decided to close down to keep their employees safe on March 17 for the next 10 days.

Pooja Dhingra writes that since Le15 was a cashflow business, they couldn’t cover all expenses without a steady revenue. The employees were informed of the situation.

In an interview with SheThePeople, she had explained the dire situation for restaurant owners during the lockdown. “It is a stressful situation for any business owner. Like, we don’t know what’s gonna happen, all the bills are piling up. So, it’s definitely a tough time. It’s kind of important to figure out how to find the balance between knowing what is happening, figuring out a plan for yourself, speaking to the people who are going through the same situation, so you don’t feel alone. Do what’s important for you.”

She goes on to share that this felt like the first real break she had taken since opening the cafe. As days went by, she began to realize that some hard and rational choices will have to be made. The costs and overheads were just too high to sustain through the lockdown. Pooja decided that there was only one way to move forward.

Le15 will close its door after a decade in the business.

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