A Union County business owner has gone above and beyond to help another local owner keep their business running.

The owner of Erika’s Cucina in Clark says that her café would have gone out of business if not for the help of her neighbor. Erika Dent’s café was struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic and her own health issues.

“I feel very blessed that I’m still here,” Dent says.

Dent suffered from complications from a car crash during the pandemic and was in danger of shutting down until the owner of Good Tidings Plumbing, Heating & Cooling came to her rescue.

“When I heard her plan was to just close her restaurant and walk away, I thought for sure I needed to help,” says David McKenna.

McKenna’s family business opened 32 years ago. He says that the HVAC industry was in an upswing post-pandemic. A contrast to Dent’s struggling restaurant.

“I had to again put my business on the back burner. They had to do emergency surgery, so therefore not only COVID, I was also going through rehabilitation since I couldn't feel my right side from the waist down,” Dent says.

“The money was drying up, inflation was eating her alive, each sandwich she sold was making ends meet,” McKenna says.

McKenna and Dent had only met over this past year. They didn't have much in common, other than a deep-rooted connection to their religion.

“We prayed and then we prayed for my business. That’s how he found out my business wasn’t doing well,” Dent says.

McKenna and his family decided not only to offer a monetary gift that would completely revamp the cafe's technology and business model, but they went a step further and rebranded the company entirely to "Kitchen Delights Clark."

“We've been working harder on her business for four months than I have on mine,” McKenna says.

Dent was able to modernize her food delivery to Uber Eats and Grubhub.

“It's picking up, with catering we do more. People are willing to do more parties now,” Dent says. “I am very grateful. I am beyond words. Everyone who has supported me over the years.”

The "Kitchen Delights Clark" website has a section on their About Me section that shares more of their personal story and also had a GoFundMe page.