east valley
Volume 3 Issue 31 Mesa, AZ
February 14, 2021
City aid helps Mesa bakery keep making pasties BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor
W
IN THE BIZ
hen the pandemic hit, leading to closures of restaurants and then reopenings with tight restrictions, it was hard enough for established restaurants who built up loyal customers over years. Imagine being a newer operation, like Sonson’s Pasty Company, which Julie Mercer opened at 6060 E. Brown Road about a year-and-a-half before Gov. Doug Ducey ordered all restaurants to close last March. Nearly a year later, Mercer is baking heart-shaped treats for Valentine’s Day, while sharing her heartfelt appreciation for the assistance that helped her business survive 2020. “We were very lucky we had a lot of support from our community to keep us going,” Mercer said. “And the city of Mesa has been fantastic. They offered up so much help to local businesses.” A visit from Sally Harrison, president/ CEO of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, helped Mercer and Sonson’s get connected. “We reached out to all the local businesses,” Harrison said. “I went into Sonson’s for the �irst time, met Julie and said to her, ‘Have you signed up for the Mesa CARES program?’ She said, ‘The what?’ “She signed up that evening.” It quickly turned out to be bene�icial, Mercer said. “Through the Mesa CARES program, I had computer classes, they gave me a laptop at the end of classes. I got help with Public Notices ............... page 3 © Copyright, 2021 East Valley Tribune
Sonson's Pasty Company is grateful for the federally-funded pandemic relief program Mesa implemented to help businesses get through a rough time last year. (Special to the Tribune) personal protection equipment, supplies, hospital sprays so we could clean the whole place,” she said. The program also coached her through an application for federal Paycheck Protection Program funding. Technically, the program offers loans, but most do not have to be paid back if guidelines are followed. Compared to the millions larger employers received, the $6,000 in PPP funding Mercer received was miniscule — but, she said, crucial at a time when the catering portion of Sonson’s cratered. “PPP helped us through (the pandemic) …. That helped immensely,” she said. “The year before the pandemic, we used to do $3,000-5,000 (monthly) in events. They almost stopped when the pandemic started. It was hard for us to keep people employed,” Mercer said. “Without the Pay(USPS 004-616) is published weekly
Mailing Address: 1620 W. Fountainhead Pkwy., Suite 219, Tempe, AZ 85282
(480) 898-6500 Steven Strickbine, publisher Paul Maryniak, executive editor
check Protection, it would have been hard to keep them.” After receiving the funding, she was able to keep her �ive employees on staff. The Sonson’s Pasty Company website describes the unique eatery and Mercer’s back story: “We are a Cornish cafe serving authentic Cornish pasties with vegan options … I was born and raised in beautiful Cornwall, England where I lived for the �irst 32 years of my life. Mum and I worked together for many years in a bakery in Helston, Cornwall making the best pasties in the county. “I feel like I’m the luckiest person alive to be given the opportunity to start my own business.” When the pandemic hit, Mercer said her business model quickly shifted to “take and bake” orders. Subscriptions are $26 for 2 years, $14 for one year. Periodicals postage paid at Phoenix, AZ 85026.
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