Clinton's Help for Harlem Restaurants: "Fire Your Employees"

By Rend Smith Fri., Jun. 19 2009 at 5:34 PM

Categories: Downfall, In the Streets, Rend Smith

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Former president Bill Clinton wants to give a hand to Harlem eateries. In October, the Post reported that Clinton's foundation was announcing plans to "strengthen restaurants" in the neighborhood through the Harlem Restaurant Program.

Nine months later, only a small number of restaurant owners, about a dozen, are taking the help.

Karl Franz Williams, a tall, dread-locked Yale grad and owner of Society Cafe, a popular place at 114th Street and Fredrick Douglas Blvd, remembers how excited he and others were to hear that Clinton was getting involved with Harlem food joints. "Harlem is a complex market," Williams says.

But Williams says that business owners were disappointed when they realized that the former president's foundation wouldn't be offering Harlem restaurants any money. After they heard that, many stopped coming to meetings. "We need money." Williams remembers people saying at the foundation's first session, "Are you guys going to help me get a loan?"

In an e-mail to the Voice, the Clinton Foundation explained that, "Building on President Clinton's longstanding commitment to supporting Harlem's small business community, the Clinton Foundation launched the Harlem Restaurant Program. The program offers skills workshops led by industry experts to help local restaurateurs better understand their industry and address daily challenges."

In other words, the foundation offers struggling Harlem restaurants...advice. That doesn't fly with some.

"I'm really smart. I could read a book," says Sharon Joseph, who owns Harlem Lanes on 126th Street and 7th Ave. She questions the usefulness of a program that supplies knowledge but no funds.

Joseph attended two of the classes, and says they were great, but her biggest concern as the owner of a 25,000 square foot bowling alley with fifty employees, a sports bar, restaurant and catering service is that the poor economy has reduced her credit line. Joseph wonders why Clinton, who attended her ribbon cutting ceremony three years ago and sends her
notes to check up on the bowling alley, hasn't found a way to set up microlending for Harlem eating houses.

But the non-profit takes a firm stance against lending: "The Clinton Foundation is not a grant-making organization, and does not distribute grants, scholarships or funding for outside
projects," spokesperson Angel Ureña writes in an email.

Williams, the Society Cafe owner, respects that outlook. But he is disappointed that attendance has ben sparse at the sessions, which amount to two-hour classes on subjects like "operations" and "marketing."

Williams says he's found the project helpful. One class in particular, Williams recollects,
helped convince him to fire seven under-performing staff.

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Harlem has long been viewed as affordable territory for those with the funds to benefit from it. Local residents and businesses couldn't get the loans needed for their homes nor their businesses until property values skyrocketed. Then they just couldn't afford it, unless they sold. Newbees who see Harlem as SoHA, NoHA and all other forms of Manhattan 'divisions' come with cash, and have the ability to obtain the financing needed. Some 'black-owned' cafes/restaurants that are doing well happen to be financed by rich husbands and/or investors, and that's ok, but let's keep it real. Black-owned restaurants, even those that are well supported, struggle due to the lack of sufficient pedestrian traffic on the main boulevards past 6pm, and because the majority of the businesses along the strip close at that time, as they're not black or neighborhood owned (they don't have to be black), and they pack up and leave. No traffic, no business. The Clinton Foundation, while an enterprising and well respected effort, can't solve this local Harlem-specific problem. Better short and long range Urban Planning, Zoning, and community input can and must. GAJ
Well, this story definitely has a misleading headline which does seem unneccessarily negative. Why? As an African American and a new resident of Harlem who moved to the neighborhood to be part of positive change, I hope we can avoid a "chip on the shoulder" mentality about the changes in the neighborhood and the presence of more white residents. I respect and value the Black culture of Harlem and hope we can preserve the affordability and character of the neighborhood without being hostile to other people who have a right to live wherever they want, and who attract new businesses and services that benefit all Harlem residents.
Harlem restaurants and small businesses need both technical support and FINANCIAL SUPPORT. For too long Harlem was just a poor community where Blacks and Latinos lived. Many of us have gone to good schools and we want to come back to our communities and contribute. But there are class struggles to overcome. Many are fearful of being displaced and new businesses and residents are getting a hard time. It doesn't have to be that way. Infusing new businesses and improving lifestyle can benefit everyone. Harlemites deserve a better life. It's how you look at everything. If you can afford $200 dollar sneakers -- you can take that same money and buy a nice dress, go out to dinner and pick up some flower with less expensive sneakers.
"I'm real smart. I could read a book!" Man I wish I was smart enough to read a book. Imagine! A whole book! And she said she found the classes "great" and useful...so the problem is what exactly?
There are a number of businesses in Harlem that were fortunate enough to benefit from the Clinton Foundation. Businesses like Settepani that reorganized after the CF came in and are now a model for the new businesses that have arrived in Harlem and made it a comfortable neighborhood not only to live in but to spend your free time in. That wasn't the case in the past. I agree with Ms. Joseph and Mr. Frantz that this article was negative spin on the part of the writer. That behavior and lack of integrity makes it difficult for journalists who don't try to twist their subject's words around to gain the trust for stories.
The Clinton Foundation is just a PR machine to make up for all of Clinton's past mistakes. Like gentrifying the neighborhood and driving out low-income residents.
The Clinton Foundation is just a PR machine to make up for all of Clinton's past mistakes. Like gentrifying the neighborhood and driving out low-income residents.
Mr. Smith, your comments in this blog post completely misrepresent reality to CREATE a negative story where there is none. The Clinton foundation has been a tremendous help to both of our businesses and the community. The "advice" that was downplayed in this article was really significant strategic consulting, financial analysis, mentoring from top business people, and marketing support that would have cost 10s of thousands of dollars, services businesses of our size couldn't begin to afford. More than just giving money, the Foundation provided the type of support that makes a lasting difference. Other than the words that have been taken completely out of context in this article, we could not begin to find fault with the program. Karl and Sharon
Its not about money! I'd be grateful to get a free classes/knowledge. Yes, I can read a book but you know what? Books cost money and getting free classes means not paying anything and if I'm saving 20 bucks on a book and getting free classes then I'd be awfully grateful. Did Obama give you anything for your business? Clinton supporting anything this way beyond his/her term seems awfully generous to me. You wanna come to Queens with less than that then be my guest. You are way lucky to get a support from any politician in your borough.