How does a chocolate marcona almond and caramel brownie sound? Or a soft-boiled egg cooked within a savory muffin of ham and cheese? Ever tried a Thai scone? As a result of the shelter-in-place order, restaurants have had to shut down dine-in services, which has caused small businesses across the country to struggle.

Menlo’s community includes several families for whom this closure of small businesses has been quite impactful. Junior Egan Lai’s family owns the contemporary patisserie, Craftsman and Wolves, in San Francisco, which opened in 2012.

“[Craftsman and Wolves] focuses on traditional technique, modern aesthetic and seasonal ingredients,” co-owner Lawrence Lai said. It is stationed in two locations; the commissary kitchen is located in the Bayview area with a small cafe next to it, and the main pastry shop is located in the Mission District. 

Craftsman and Wolves not only has a particular title but also has a story behind it. “The name is a nod to the artisan overcoming challenges and obstacles on his pursuit to perfect his or her craft and the relentless spirit required to stay on the journey,” Lawrence Lai said.

The shelter in place order has severely impacted the patisserie. 

“It literally has decimated our sales,” Lawrence Lai said. Even before the shelter-in-place order, Lawrence Lai and co-owner Ann Lee decided to close the patisserie for two weeks because they didn’t know how to handle the shelter-in-place situation.

However, like most businesses, the restaurant has redirected their business to online ordering for pickup or shipping. “We’ve started online pre-order for pick up at our two locations twice a week. We also offer more items online for shipping nationwide,” Lee said. Craftsman and Wolves also has started a business at farmers’ markets. “Starting the first weekend of May, we are back to farmers’ market at the Ferry Building,” Lee said. They have even gone to a farmers’ market much closer to the Menlo community. “We have also started a stand at the Palo Alto Farmers’ Market on California Avenue. We are there every Sunday from 9:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m., and I’m working there,” Egan Lai said.

“We are very grateful for the support from the Menlo community. A lot of families have ordered from us already, and we’re grateful for this help during this hard time,” Egan Lai said.

Even as it finds ways to reach customers, the business has adopted safety measures recommended by the Centers For Disease Control and San Francisco Department of Public Health guidelines and orders. “We ask customers to wear masks when they come in to pick up and clearly make marks on the floor to be six feet apart. We wear gloves and masks when working and put hand sanitizers next to the cash register and the door. Basically, we are doing everything required by the city,” Lee said.