California restaurant owner potentially facing more closures

Published On Oct 31, 2024, 6:00 AM

Mollie Engelhart, the owner of Sage Regenerative Kitchen in California, faces the imminent closure of her remaining restaurants due to severe financial distress. Despite previously running multiple successful locations, she has struggled to recover from losses incurred during the pandemic and recent Hollywood strikes that diminished customer spending. Rising costs from inflation and increased wages further complicate her efforts. Engelhart has exhausted her savings and assets to keep her businesses afloat, and currently generates only about $4 million in revenue from her last two locations, down from $20 million prior to the pandemic.