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BUSINESS Monday 9 october 2023
A13

From Coke floats to Cronuts, going viral can have a HEALTH

lasting effect on a small business DOCTOR ON DUTY

Oranjestad
By Mae Anderson ingredients he could find Hospital 7:00 pm / 10:00pm
Associated Press at nearby Sam's Club and Tel. 527 4000
NEW YORK (AP) — The Lex- Walmart stores, and had San Nicolas
ington Candy Shop in New friends check stores in their Imsan 24 hours
York City has served burg- areas. The fire marshal was Tel.524 8833
ers, fries and shakes to hun- called twice about the Women in Difficulties
gry patrons for decades. crowd. PHARMACY ON DUTY
Last remodeled in 1948, Muccular hired a consul- Oranjestad:
the diner is the definition of tant to help figure out how Sta. Anna: tel. 586 8181
old-fashioned. to revamp his business to Seroe Preto: tel. 584 4833
But that hasn't stopped serve the crowds in an ef-
it from getting a wave of ficient manner. Among the Women in Difficulties
new fans. changes: He shifted walk OTHER
In August 2022, this old up to-go orders to an on- Dental Clinic 587 9850
school business met the line system and created Blood Bank Aruba 587 0002
new world when Nicolas John Philis, a third-generation owner of the Lexington Candy a reservation system for Urgent Care 586 0448
Walk-In Doctor’s Clinic
Heller, a TikToker and Ins- Shop, prepares a Coke float at the luncheonette, Thursday, tables. +297 588 0539
tagrammer with 1.2 million Sept. 28, 2023, in New York. Two months later, the res- Women in Difficulties
followers known as New (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) taurant is still bustling. The EMERGENCY
York Nico, popped in for restaurant now serves 800
a traditional Coke float – first, the store wasn’t ready just last year, crowds were to 1,000 people a day, up Police 100
Oranjestad
527 3140
Coke syrup, soda water for the influx. sparse at first because Katy from 200 to 250. Longer Noord 527 3200
and ice cream. Naturally, “We just couldn’t adjust,” is a suburb about half an term, Muccular has plans Sta. Cruz 527 2900
he took a video. It went he said. “We would stay hour outside of bustling to open a food truck to San Nicolas 584 5000
viral, garnering 4.8 million late hours to prep for the Houston. That all changed serve people all over Texas. Police Tipline 11141
likes. next day and then the lines when a TikToker who goes At the Lexington Candy Ambulancia 911
“The next day (after the would continue and con- by Mr. Chimetime poste- Shop, Philis thought the Fire Dept. 115
582 2219
Red Cross
video was posted), the tinue and continue and da video in July lavishing craze of last August would
lines started forming at 8 in continue.” praise on Aunt Bill’s brisket die down after Labor Day, TAXI SERVICES
the morning,” John Philis, Opening two nearby res- hot dog, waffles and cus- or during the holidays. But Taxi Tas 587 5900
the diner’s third-genera- taurants helped relieve the tomer service. a year later, the crowds Prof. Taxi 588 0035
tion co-owner, recalls with pressure. Elreda now has 10 The floodgates opened are still going strong.q Taxi D.T.S. 587 2300
Taxi Serv. Aruba 583 3232
amazement. “And it was locations, including newly and didn’t stop. A1 Taxi Serv. 280 2828
like, huh!” opened restaurants in De- “People poured in from Women in Difficulties
When a smaller restaurant troit and Brooklyn — an everywhere, every seat TRAVEL INFO
unexpectedly goes viral expansion started by one taken, the lines, down the
on TikTok or other social viral video. street and around the cor- Aruba Airport 524 2424
media, the sudden de- “Social media can make ner, a three, four-hour wait, American Airlines 582 2700
mand can be overwhelm- you or break you,” he said. wait time in line in the mid- Avianca 588 0059
ing. Owners have to adapt “It catapulted us to starting dle of the Texas summer,” Jet Blue 588 2244
582 7896
Surinam
on the fly, revamping op- to franchise and getting Muccular said.
erations to quickly serve a the name out there. It’s He rushed to prepare Women in Difficulties
crush of people. But savvy been a blessing.” food and put his vendors AID FOUNDATIONS
business owners who are When Kevin Muccular on standby, but the de- FAVI- Visually Impaired
able to adapt can parlay opened Aunt Bill’s soul food mand was overwhelm- Tel. 582 5051
newfound fame into a last- restaurant in Katy, Texas, ing. He bought all of the Alcoholics Anonymous
ing boost for their business. Tel. 736 2952
Ali Elreda opened Fatima’s Narcotics Anonymous
Grill in Downey, California, Tel. 583 8989
in 2016, drawing in custom- Fundacion Contra Violencia
ers with an eclectic range Relacional Tel. 583 5400
of tacos, wraps and burg- Centre for Diabetes
Tel. 524 8888
ers. Child Abuse Prevention
He sprinkled Flamin’ Hot Tel. 582 4433
Cheetos in some of them, Quota Club Tel. 525 2672
inspired by his daughter’s Women in Difficulties
love of hot chips. By 2020, General Info
Elreda had worked hard Phone Directory Tel. 118
to develop his restaurant’s
social media presence,
shooting videos with music.
But after a TikToker dubbed
@misohungry posted a vid-
eo of Elreda’s Flaming Hot
Cheeto Fusion burger that
August, things suddenly
“just went crazy.”
Lines to get into the restau-
rant ballooned to two to
three hours – for months. At facebook.com/arubatoday/