From Shutdown to Stardom: How Cranes, D.C. Stayed Open and Increased Daily Sales by 1,000 Percent During a Global Pandemic

Imagine going from $7,000 in sales per week in your opening year to $70,000 a week in just year two. Oh and let’s throw in a global pandemic and months-long mandatory shut down for good measure. How is it possible? Let’s just say it takes a lot of hard work, a supportive community, and a little hope. 

As a well-known symbol of luck, hope and longevity in Japanese culture, cranes have come to represent resilience and optimism in the face of disaster. When chef and partner Pepe Moncayo opened his Spanish kaiseki in early February 2020, it was unlikely that he knew how aptly named his first U.S. restaurant would become. Just five weeks after opening Cranes in the heart of Washington D.C., Moncayo and his team were forced to close their doors and navigate the unknown during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Thankfully, navigating the unknown is not an unfamiliar concept for Moncayo. He started his career in Spain, where he worked his way up through some of the world’s best…