Vegan protesters caused chaos at a former vegan restaurant in Los Angeles, according to the owner, Mollie Engelhart. The protesters were upset about the addition of meat and dairy to the menu, prompting Engelhart to call the police. However, she claims that the police took three hours to respond, leading to customers leaving and the restaurant being forced to close on Father’s Day.
Engelhart expressed her frustration with the state of crime in Southern California, which has made it challenging for her small business to survive in recent years. She also mentioned that the neighborhood of Echo Park, where the restaurant is located, has seen an increase in crime, forcing her and her family to sell their farm in California and move to Texas.
The restaurant, formerly known as Sage Plant Based Bistro, rebranded to Sage Regenerative Kitchen & Brewery after announcing the addition of animal-based products to the menu. This decision sparked backlash from the vegan community, as the restaurant started serving beef, bison, cheese, and eggs. Engelhart explained that the shift was towards foods grown using regenerative agricultural methods, focusing on soil health, biodiversity, and natural processes.
Engelhart expressed disappointment in the protesters’ actions, stating that there are more pressing issues than her restaurant. She emphasized that Sage is a small family business trying to survive in a challenging business environment in California. Despite the difficulties, Engelhart remains committed to running her restaurants and serving her customers.
The ongoing crime in the Echo Park neighborhood has added stress to Engelhart’s business, with incidents like a stabbing outside the restaurant and lack of police response to crimes in the area. Engelhart highlighted the challenges of operating a business in a neighborhood plagued by crime and expressed her disappointment in the lack of support from the city.
As Engelhart and her family navigate the challenges of running a business in a crime-ridden neighborhood, they remain committed to providing quality food and service to their customers. Despite the setbacks and protests, Engelhart’s determination to keep her restaurants open and succeed in the face of adversity is unwavering.