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French restaurant changes menu to survive pandemic

"Businesses are really tough," Brasserie Brixton's owner said. "There are real lives at stake here."

Nothing brings people through the door like food but even the finest French cuisine is no match for a global pandemic.

Brasserie Brixton opened up in Denver's Cole neighborhood this past summer just before the city's second shutdown. For restaurant co-owner Justin Morse, opening up during a pandemic wasn't much of a choice. 

"We actually signed the lease in this space in November 2018 and from that point forward we working on this every day in some form," he said. 

"We opened up July 23, it lined up in the middle of COVID so it’s been a struggle every day."

A struggle, the restaurant hasn't gotten much help with. 

Morse told 9NEWS many of the federal and local business grants and loans require a business to have been open prior to the pandemic. For Denver's Emergency Relief Fund, the business must have been open on or before March 26 to be eligible.

Morse has given up all hope in getting any kind of assistance but with empty seats and bills piling up, he knew he had to adapt to overcome. The owner decided to temporarily ditch French food for pizza.

"We knew [French food] didn't travel really well", Morse said. "So once we knew that the shutdown was coming again we were like 'what do people like?'" 

"'What's comfort food? What travels well?' Pizza was an easy decision."

Morse said the decision is keeping the lights on and he hopes it will stay that way.

"What's carried us and a lot of our patriots in the industry, its been community," he said.  

"Look down the street, look in your area and understand that these businesses are really tough and there are real lives at stake here."

Brasserie Brixton is located in the Cole neighborhood. It sells pizzas and wine for dine-in, delivery or take out Tuesday through Sunday. 

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