The coronavirus pandemic hit the economy hard starting in March 2020. Nearly a year later, it remains a hindrance, even with more than a million people per day getting vaccinated.

The restaurant and hospitality industry has taken the brunt of the damage. For restaurant owners in the downtown area of Washington, D.C., COVID-19 created more challenges. While not as bustling as New York or Chicago, the area along K Street between 14th Street and 19th Street in the pre-pandemic era teemed with people who worked in office buildings nearby. And those people patronized the local eateries, including Mazi, a new American restaurant with a Mediterranean hook.