Wyandotte Italian Restaurant Sees Surge in Business Thanks to Viral Facebook Post
A mom-and-pop Italian restaurant in Wyandotte has seen business surging thanks to a viral Facebook post.
Debby Celia, co-owner of Gregorio’s Italian Restaurant, told WXYZ-TV 7 News Detroit that the restaurant has had three consecutive record-breaking nights since the post was made on Friday, March 7.
Celia said she was inspired to write the post after seeing a similar one from a business farther north in the state. Today, her post has garnered more than 5,200 shares.
“It says, ‘Look, we need help. It’s been so bad during the week — three tables, four tables, six tables. It’s not cutting my bills. We need help.’ So, I just did a simple post, and I said, ‘Please remember us when you go out. We’re here,'” she explained.
And the Wyandotte community responded with help.
“Friday night and Saturday were our busiest nights we’ve ever had, and that was incredible — ever, in 21 years,” Celia said. She even had to turn away tables at one point due to the increased demand.
7 News Detroit caught up with Steve Scibilia, his wife and sister-in-law. They saw the Facebook post and decided to pass on the 50-minute wait on Tuesday, March 11, but they said they’d come back later.
“Small business right now, a lot of chains trying to push people out,” he said. “It’s kind of nice to support a local business in your community.”
“The community response that we had is so overwhelming, and I can’t even find words to express how blessed we are that this has been bestowed upon us,” Celia added. “We’re just a simple mom-and-pop place. I can pay some bills this week. So, I’m really fortunate. I just hope it continues.”
