Downtown LA restaurant 'Engine Co. 28' adds music to the mix in effort to draw business back to area

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Local historic restaurant Engine Co. 28 is now combining food, music and a sprinkle of creativity. It's a recipe they hope will help draw business back to downtown L.A. The idea: support local musicians by providing an audience and safe space for them to perform.

"If we can provide a space for music and L.A. citizens to be creative, then maybe we can get people back to downtown Los Angeles and into the restaurant," said spokesperson Holly Baird.

Musician Caleb Minter moved to Los Angeles last year when he got the opportunity to sing at Kanye West's Sunday Services. He's now performing on the streets.

Vroman's, Southern California's oldest and largest independent bookstore, could be forced to close its doors because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Because of COVID, I mean my job has stopped. Sunday Service has been on a halt. And I've just been really wanting to provide an opportunity for myself," said Minter.

And even as more businesses reopen, downtown restaurants have lost diners who are now working from home.

"We usually have pretty large foot traffic but because downtown L.A. is pretty much a ghost town, we don't have that much traffic anymore," said Baird.

But diners are loving the new showcases, once again dancing to the soothing sounds of live music. It's a win for restaurants and performers like Caleb.

"Trying to make my dreams come to fruition has been a struggle. But I really have faith and I know that I can do it. So I'm pushing. It's hard but I'm pushing," said Minter.

Aztec Tents in Torrance used to specialize in fabricating giant, over-the-top tents for large, glamorous gatherings. But the pandemic forced the shop to shift gears overnight. Now, it has turned the business around by meeting the needs of the community.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Magaly's made some changes to give the community more access to produce.