Beloved Jamaican Restaurant in Bakersfield, CA, Calls On Community For Help
Barrington's Jamaican Kitchen, a popular Jamaican restaurant in Bakersfield, California, was forced to close its doors due to financial difficulties. The owner is asking for assistance from the community to reopen this cherished local eatery.
Barrington Lewis opened the Jamaican restaurant in 2017. Known for its authentic cuisine and welcoming atmosphere, the restaurant quickly gained popularity among locals. Lewis mentioned that he began facing financial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought capacity constraints and rising inflation. The Jamaica-born native noted that his restaurant did not receive the financial assistance related to COVID that other businesses received during that time.
'I fell short of getting the financial support that the nation was getting, and I didn't get it because they exhausted the money that they had allotted for small businesses like mine. I was kind of counting on that,' Lewis told the Jamaica Observer.
Despite a significant rise in supply and operating costs, with some expenses even doubling, Lewis said his priority was to provide affordable food for his customers. Therefore, he was reluctant to raise his prices. The financial strain led him to fall behind on his rent. Although he attempted to establish a repayment plan, his landlord terminated his lease, forcing him to relocate.
He acquired a new building about five minutes from his old location. Lewis planned to reopen there on April 1 but could not due to financial constraints. The business owner says he is facing difficulties obtaining the financial resources required to purchase restaurant equipment, supplies, and a rental deposit. He has launched a GoFundMe to help raise $20,000 to help cover the costs.
The business owner, who provided free food to unhoused people, hopes to reconnect with his customers with whom he has built solid relationships over the years. Lewis has yet to announce a date for the restaurant's reopening.
RELATED CONTENT:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Global energy investment set to hit record $3.3 trillion in 2025, IEA says
By Forrest Crellin PARIS (Reuters) -A surge in clean energy spending is expected to drive a record $3.3 trillion (2.89 trillion euros) in global energy investment in 2025, despite economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Thursday. Clean energy technologies, including renewables, nuclear, and energy storage, are set to attract $2.2 trillion in investment, twice the amount expected for fossil fuels, the IEA said in its annual World Energy Investment report. "The fast-evolving economic and trade picture means that some investors are adopting a wait-and-see approach to new energy project approvals, but in most areas we have yet to see significant implications for existing projects," IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said. Solar power is expected to be the biggest beneficiary, with investment forecast to reach $450 billion in 2025, while spending on battery storage is predicted to surge to around $66 billion, the report said. Batteries are seen as a way to mitigate the intermittency of renewable energy projects, by storing power during peak supply and discharging during peak demand, but investments in the technology have lagged behind solar and wind power. In contrast, investment in oil and gas is expected to decline, with upstream oil investment set to fall by 6% in 2025, driven by lower oil prices and demand expectations and the first drop since the Covid crisis in 2020. The IEA also warned that investment in grids of $400 billion per year is lower than spending on generation and electrification, which could pose a risk to electricity security. Grid investments will need to rise to near parity with generation spending by the early 2030s to maintain electricity security, but this is being held back by red tape and tight supply chains for transformers and cables. Spending patterns remain very uneven globally, with many developing economies struggling to mobilise capital for energy infrastructure, while China dominates global clean energy investment at almost one-third of the total. (1 euro = $1.1414) Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trade war is tougher threat than COVID for emerging market cenbanks, IMF says
(Reuters) -The shock from trade war brings differential effects for central banks in emerging markets, in contrast with the COVID pandemic, when they could quickly ease monetary policy, the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Gita Gopinath said. In an interview with the Financial Times newspaper, the fund's first deputy managing director said the unpredictable impact of tariffs on developing economies and global markets would make the task of their central bankers harder. "This time the challenge is going to be greater for them, compared to the pandemic," she said.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Muhammed Aziz Khan Expands Educational Access for 10,000 Disadvantaged Children Through Charitable Trust
DHAKA, Bangladesh, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Anjuman & Aziz Charitable Trust (AACT), founded by Summit Group Chairman Muhammed Aziz Khan and his wife Anjuman Aziz Khan, today announced the expansion of its educational initiatives to support nearly 10,000 disadvantaged children across Bangladesh. This significant scale-up reinforces the Trust's commitment to providing quality education to vulnerable children, particularly those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. AACT's expanded program builds on its four-year partnership with UNICEF Bangladesh, established in 2022, which initially focused on helping 3,000 out-of-school children in Dhaka South City Corporation Zones 3, 4, and 5 re-enter education and catch up on lost learning. The Trust's comprehensive approach now encompasses multiple educational programs through strategic partnerships with leading organizations. "Every child is the future, if we want a future we must enable the child, that via education. Education is not only children's right, it's our survival," said Muhammed Aziz Khan, Founder and Chairman of Summit Group, and Founder and Trustee of AACT. "Our inspiration to support Dhaka South came from my deep roots in businesses which started in Dhaka's Chawk Bazar and Urdu Road." The expanded initiative includes continued support for Prothom Alo Trust's Alor Pathshala program, which currently operates seven schools in hard-to-reach areas such as Kurigram, Bhola, Naogaon, Teknaf, Bandarban, and two in Rajshahi. Since 2009, this program has educated more than 1,350 students aged 6-16 in remote regions, with 900 students having passed at least the 5th grade to date. AACT has also strengthened its partnership with the SEID-Summit Community Therapy School in Kamrangirchar, which provides essential services to 98 differently-abled children from low-income families. Since 2009, Summit Group has supported this school, offering specialized education and income-generating training like embroidery, batik, sewing, and cooking skills. Additionally, the Trust continues its support for the Jaago Foundation, which provides English-curriculum education to financially disadvantaged children. In 2021, when Jaago faced a funding crisis, Summit Corporation provided a matching fund for three years, enabling the organization to educate 4,500 students across 10 schools in 11 districts. "I am so delighted to see the good works of UNICEF and our other partners. Every child must be protected, every child must be educated, and they must be happy children to have a future," Muhammed Aziz Khan has stated regarding the Trust's educational mission. The Khans made history in 2022 as the first Bangladeshis to join the UNICEF International Council, a distinguished community of approximately 150 private philanthropists and global influencers who pool their funding and expertise to optimize investments for children worldwide. This expanded educational initiative further demonstrates their growing commitment to creating sustainable educational opportunities for Bangladesh's most vulnerable children. About Summit Group Founded in 1973 by Muhammed Aziz Khan, Summit Group is the largest infrastructure conglomerate in Bangladesh, employing over 6,000 people with investments across energy, ports, logistics, and information technology sectors. Summit Power International, incorporated in Singapore in 2016, is a leading infrastructure developer and operator in South Asia whose strategic partners include JERA, Mitsubishi Corporation, and GE. The group is committed to providing affordable, sustainable energy solutions while supporting corporate social responsibility initiatives in education, healthcare, and community development. About The Anjuman & Aziz Charitable Trust (AACT) Founded in 2020 by Muhammed Aziz Khan and his wife Anjuman Aziz Khan, The Anjuman & Aziz Charitable Trust focuses on providing quality education to disadvantaged children across Bangladesh. Through partnerships with UNICEF Bangladesh, Prothom Alo Trust, and other organizations, AACT currently supports educational initiatives for nearly 10,000 vulnerable children, including those in remote rural areas and differently-abled students. The Khans became the first Bangladeshis to join the UNICEF International Council in 2022. About Muhammed Aziz Khan Muhammed Aziz Khan, PBM, is the founder and Chairman of Summit Power International Limited and Summit Holdings Ltd. A Singapore citizen of Bangladeshi origin, he has led Summit Group from Bangladesh's first private sector power producer to a diversified infrastructure conglomerate. In 2024, Khan was appointed Chair of the UNICEF International Council, recognizing his longstanding commitment to education and child welfare. He received the Public Service Medal (COVID-19) and Pingat Bakti Masyarakat from Singapore's Prime Minister's Office in 2023 for his outstanding contributions during the pandemic. Mr. Khan holds an MBA from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka and serves as Honorary Consul General of Finland to Bangladesh (2016-2025). He is also the Chairman of Siraj Khaleda Trust, Anjuman & Aziz Charitable Trust (AACT), and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Asian University for Women (AUW). Contact: Media Contact: Mohsena HassanEmail: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Summit Group Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
