UPDATE: Mayor Durkan, Dori listeners visit Assaggio Ristorante after interview

On Friday, Mauro Golmarvi, owner of Assaggio Ristorante at Fourth Avenue and Virginia Street, told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson that the violence and drugs downtown have been devastating for his 27-year-old business. After last Wednesday’s deadly shooting just a few blocks away, 68 people canceled their reservations.

The heartbreaking interview touched many Seattleites, and they began making reservations in droves — including Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan.

“She made reservations for the night as soon as she heard your radio interview with me,” Golmarvi told Dori. “She came by, she said, ‘I’m personally trying to support you and let you know I’m here, I heard you, I hear your frustrations.””

While the mayor was dining, quite a few members of the downtown business community, who were in Assaggio Ristorante at the same time, went over to her table to express their frustrations. Golmarvi said that the mayor told them she wants to create a task force so they can make their voices heard.

Listeners share reactions to deadly Seattle shooting

Golmarvi added that Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best also reached out, telling him she hated to see people like him get hurt.

“I really heard you, and we are here to do anything that we can,” she told him.

He wants to keep this issue in the forefront of Seattle politics, rather than just letting it take a backseat until the inevitable next instance of violence occurs downtown.

“This is not some new phenomenon — it’s been going on for a long time, but every time [something like this happens], as is natural as human beings, we kind of forget things after a while,” he said. “But I think we should stay on top of these issues this time and try to really nail it down.”

He plans to attend Seattle City Council meetings to make his voice heard during public comment.

“People used to [view] downtown as a treat — they’d come for the wine and to dine and shopping, the Christmas lighting,” he said. “Everything should be back to the way downtown was … We need to get our city back.”

He gave a big thank you to Dori and KIRO Radio for the great impact of Friday’s interview.

“Lots of people were listening to your show, and it was an amazing impact … On that night particularly, so many people, because they heard you, came to my restaurant to support me,” he said. “I just want to say thank you for putting the pressure on. We need voices like yours.”

Listen to the Dori Monson Show weekday afternoons from 12-3 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.