Johnny Rockets (Long Beach, CA)

LAEDC assisted Johnny Rockets’ owner, Becky Benam, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Downtown Long Beach business is woman-owned and has eight employees. Our District Director advised the business about available SBA loans, grants, special restaurant recovery grants, and City of Long Beach programs, including grants and workforce assistance, as well as L.A. County programs through the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA).

As a result of LAEDC technical business assistance and advisement, the business received a $30,000 CARES Act Employer Assistance Grant through the County’s Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS) Department. She also received a $20,000 loan from LACDA through its Transit Oriented Communities Small Business Recovery Loan Program.

“In the past ten years that I have been running my restaurant, I have gone through so many difficulties. Yet I never gave up, and I never asked for help from any organizations. Coronavirus caught me off guard. Perhaps I could close the restaurant, go home and keep my savings, but I decided to do the opposite. Mainly for the sake of my employees and my sense of responsibility towards society. Thank you for looking out for us and assisting our business.”

– Becky Benam, Owner, Johnny Rockets