Jessica Wang has experienced delay after delay for nearly two years as she tried to open Gu Grocery in Chinatown. Her father, a contractor, had told her it would take nine months.
Instead, she says, there have been issues with city permits, inspectors, inaccurate information, illness and wayward appliance installers which have pushed things back.
The community didn’t take nearly as long. In two weeks, 134 donors contributed nearly $12,000 to keep Wang afloat. But money can’t solve her problem — she still needs the city’s approval to open the doors…