COLUMBUS, Ohio - Vijay Malhotra is down, but he's not out.
"[Indian Oven] is still open for carryout and delivery only," Malhotra said.
His business, Indian Oven, on East Main Street is still open. It has been open in Columbus for the last 20 years.
Like all locally-owned restaurants though, in the midst of the spread of the coronavirus, Indian Oven has taken a hit.
Last week, Malhotra said things were very slow. He knows time is working against him.
"Well, if it keeps on going we cannot even say that we'll be keeping our doors open for more than two weeks, now," he said.
Until then, he stays open to pay his employees, while not giving himself one cent.
Last week, he made ends meet out of his own pocket.
"That's what we have to do," he said. "I'm doing whatever I can do for my employees and for my people to get paid."
He's down. Saturday night, around 11:30 p.m., while trying to get up, he was kicked.
Video surveillance shows it; a hooded figure lurking outside. Moments later you can hear the door shattering. The person unlocked it and walked in and took the cash register, bottles of liquor and a laptop. Malhotra says the thief was inside less than one minute. Police responded and a report was filed. 10TV is not showing the person's face until the video is cleared by Columbus Police.
"We'll get through this," Malhotra said. "But, something like this has to stop."
Malhotra fears with criminals knowing restaurants aren't fully staffed, right now, this will become a bigger issue. He encourages businesses to keep cameras and alarm systems on and to keep an eye out for each other.
"We would just please request the community to be patient, to be coordinative and be supportive to every local business out there so that we all can make it through together," he said.
Malhotra says his business, while open for carry-out and delivery, is donating meals to first responders for free.