How the shutdown is hurting a taco shop and other small businesses

AQUEBOGUE, N.Y. (FOX 5 NY) - Running a business comes with its fair share of headaches but for Long Island restaurateur Marc LaMaina, who owns Lucharitos, the past few weeks haven't been easy.

"It's definitely every day something new," he said. "Sometimes exciting, sometimes very frustrating."

Frustrating because he has two taco shops in Greenport and Aquebogue but the federal government shutdown is preventing him from opening a third in Center Moriches.

The Small Business Administration approved his loan application last week. However, under the government shutdown, no one is able to sign off on it.

"The guys we hired now are in limbo," LaMaina said. "They left their other jobs. They're ready to roll with us. I'm jamming them in both restaurants so we're currently overstaffed in both restaurants. It's a financial strain on me and them as well."

If and when the loan is finalized, Marc said the work can start in as little as two weeks but he is getting impatient because everything has been put on hold.

LaMaina said the only silver lining is that the seller, who is in Florida for the winter, has been nothing but patient.

"We've been working on this for months," said Chris Cohen, who is selling the property. "I feel like I'm losing hope but I'm just going to have to hang in there."

LaMaina's message to Washington: "Compromise and figure out a plan that works for everybody."