The Kettle restaurant at the corner of 51st Street and Skillman Avenue in Sunnyside was empty on a recent Saturday evening, with customers calling up and canceling their reservations at the last minute.

Patrick Tunney, owner of the restaurant for 14 years, knows the poor economy is hurting establishments like his. Nevertheless, he also blames the lack of business on the lack of parking in the area.

“Keep driving around, someone should get out soon,” Tunney said over the phone to a fed-up customer double-parked outside the restaurant.

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