AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. – Clint Hernandez, owner of La Presa Mexican Restaurant, is preparing for the potential impact of a government shutdown on his business. With the possibility of federal employees being temporarily discharged and service members working without pay, Hernandez is concerned about the effects on his restaurant.
Hernandez shared his thoughts on how the shutdown could affect La Presa. “We’ll definitely feel it here in these next few weeks and hopefully it’s a shorter stay than other times,” he said.
The restaurant, located on Sunset Highway for nearly 18 years, relies heavily on consistent traffic from Fairchild Air Force Base. “You know, we do catering for them. They just come in, as you can see now, we’ve got quite a few of them inside. They got short lunches,” Hernandez said.
He emphasized the importance of the base to his business, stating, “Definitely take care of us. We have a lot of customers throughout the week and the Air Force base is huge for us out here.”
Reflecting on the last major government shutdown that stretched 35 days between late 2018 and early 2019, Hernandez recalled its impact on his business and others along Sunset Highway. “You know, we could feel it. We didn’t see as many airmen in the mornings or in the afternoons,” he said.
Washington is home to more than 106,000 service members and about 22,000 federal civilian employees in eastern Washington alone. Idaho has another 10,000 military personnel. Hernandez noted the significance of this workforce to his restaurant’s success, saying, “We rely a lot on the base and a lot of those guys, you know, they definitely keep us going.”
The ripple effect of delayed or missing government pay is felt throughout the community. Hernandez expressed hope that local residents will step in to support businesses like his. “Kind of hope that the locals are a little more active to kind of take care of that for us,” he said.
For Hernandez, the issue is not just about business; it’s personal. “Currently I have a list of a lot of good friends that are currently stationed on base and I hope they get it figured out so they can, you know, get back to work and, you know, make ends meet,” he said.
