How one man is helping struggling mom-and-pop businesses by telling their story
EAST HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) -- What if you could help a struggling restaurant just by telling their story?
At El Paso Restaurant in East Harlem, Alan Goldsher is just one man walking around with a phone, but what he does with his phone and with his time and his talent - is the real gift.
"It's been the most rewarding, even if not financially, thing I've ever done - is giving something away that I can afford to give away, which is my passion, my creativity," Goldsher said.
Goldsher is a former journalist, a former Emmy-award-winning TV executive producer. Before the pandemic, he never shot a second of video, but he wanted to help, by telling the stories of mom-and-pop businesses hit hard by the pandemic.
Goldsher has been shooting and editing videos for hundreds of businesses for free, so they can use it to help promote their businesses.
He does more than show the food - he tells the story of the people behind the meals.
"East Harlem needs love, East Harlem needs help, and actually there's nothing touristy around here," says Victor Medina of El Paso Restaurant.
After being open for 20 years, the pandemic shut El Paso Restaurant down last summer. Finally, a few weeks ago, they reopened. While the weather has been nice, they are struggling.
Getting the word out through videos can be costly - hundreds of dollars, but the exposure is priceless.
"It was an amazing feeling that some people out there, they really care about our restaurants," Medina says.
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