Hani "Johnny" Mammo is the owner of Caruso's Italian Kitchen. He has three locations throughout the City of Los Angeles in Sylmar, Granada Hills, and Sunland. Caruso's Italian Kitchen was established in 1971. Hani obtained ownership 20 years ago, and since then, he has kept the business running and expanded.

Hani reached out to the North Valley BusinessSource Center (BSC) in October of 2021 for assistance in growing his business and adding more locations. EWDD partner ICON CDC manages the North and South Valley BSCs.

The North Valley BSC first assisted Hani with creating hiring flyers and working with partnering agencies to find qualified employees. Hani was able to hire 12-14 employees.

The center provided Hani with technical assistance in the City's Comeback Checks Program, and he successfully received a $5,000 grant. The center also guided Hani through the application process for the City of Los Angeles' Small Business Rental Assistance Program, where he received a $15,000 grant.

"Every time I need help, they always come and help me with filling out paperwork and anything," he said. "Everything I need, they are ready to go."

Caruso's Italian Kitchen has three San Fernando Valley locations: Both the Sylmar and Tujunga locations are in LA City Council District 7. The Granada Hills location is in LA City Council District 12.

EWDD’s BusinessSource Centers offer resources to microenterprises, small businesses, and aspiring entrepreneurs in the City of Los Angeles. These efforts work to revitalize the local economy by helping business owners launch viable businesses, grow revenue streams, and stabilize and create jobs. Visit EWDD’s BusinessSource Centers and learn how EWDD's Business Services can help businesses of all sizes.