In an unexpected move that has rattled the Burlingame community, two beloved local restaurants, Café Capuchino and Que SeRaw SeRaw, have been served with eviction notices. The notices came from the new property owner, Jd Capuchino Properties LLC, giving the decades-old businesses until the end of August to vacate their Capuchino Avenue locations to make way for major renovations, as reported by the San Mateo Daily Journal.
Café Capuchino, run by Aster Legesse and her husband Giuliano Polano since 1994, has become much more than a coffee shop to local patrons; it's a vibrant hub where residents connect with the community's pulse. As per the San Mateo Daily Journal, Legesse, who is facing the added weight of her husband's ill health, shared, "I don't think we can afford … another place." Their situation is especially dire as the café is their sole source of income.
Que SeRaw SeRaw, a fixture in the Broadway area for over 20 years, is navigating the eviction differently. Owner Eric Liittschwager, who took ownership about a year and a half ago, was already considering a second location before the notice. He remains hopeful about reopening elsewhere. In a post on Instagram, Que Seraw Seraw shared news of the abrupt termination of their lease alongside their neighbors' and urged community support through a GoFundMe campaign.
Liittschwager has set up the GoFundMe to help Legesse and Polano transition in a show of community solidarity. "They’re lovely people, and they bring me a cup of coffee every day," Liittschwager told SFGATE. Meanwhile, Legesse expressed her gratitude for the former building owner's offer of a potential new space for Café Capuchino while also recognizing the daunting challenges that lie ahead, including her husband's care and the costs associated with establishing a business in a new location.
