- Kimberly Village inspectors determined the restaurant couldn’t operate as a dine-in establishment.
- Required changes include upgrading the lighting and securing committee approval.
Village regulations classified the shift to dine-in service as a "change of use," requiring additional steps.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
KIMBERLY, WI. — Nearly a year after Goly and Eve’s Puerto Rican Kitchen was forced to close its dine-in service, owner Evelyn Malave is reflecting on the challenges her business has faced and the progress made toward welcoming customers back inside.
"It's been tough," Malave said.
When Malave first envisioned expanding her restaurant, she never anticipated the number of obstacles that would come her way.
"We needed more permits and everything else, so that's why we've been closed down," she said.
Goly and Eve’s had been successful as a carry-out-only business, prompting Malave to renovate the space to allow for dine-in service last year. However, when it came time to open in November, Kimberly village inspectors determined that not all required upgrades had been made.
At that point, Malave said, they were unable to operate for either carry-out or dine-in service.
"Bills keep coming in," she said.
To stay afloat, Malave took on extra jobs, working in another kitchen in Green Bay.
"I went to Latin Flavor," she said.
She also worked as a phlebotomist at St. Elizabeth Hospital, balancing multiple roles to pay for the restaurant's improvements.
"The architect, I want to say, was like a good ten thousand dollars," Malave said.
Despite the setbacks, she never stopped cooking for the community.
"I do meal prepping; we still do our caterings," she said.
On Feb. 18, Malave finally received good news—village officials approved the restaurant's return to carry-out service.
"Giving up for me has never been an option, so I mean whatever permits they ask for, whatever extra we have to do, I just got it done," she said.
Now, with renovations completed, Malave is awaiting a March 3 hearing, when the village will decide whether the restaurant is ready to reopen for dine-in customers. If all goes as planned, she expects to reopen in mid-March.
