BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A downtown Bellingham restaurant is asking for the community’s help to keep their doors open.

Cafe Rumba owner Antonio Diaz says that he’s struggling to keep up with rising costs, noting he’s most concerned about keeping his staff paid.

He set up a GoFundMe to cover some of those costs as the N State Street business churns its way through a particularly slow season.

Diaz opened the Peruvian-style deli 15 years ago, featuring street food specials and Latin dance night specials.

Cafe Rumba’s plea comes amid a challenging climate for businesses all over Bellingham.

My Bellingham Now previously reported on numerous closures over the past year, particularly within the downtown core.

Pacific Continental Realty owner Ryan Martin says that several factors, including a decline in WWU enrollment as well as cross-border traffic, are stifling business’s revenues.

He adds that the restaurant industry, in general, is more susceptible to closures due to high turnover rates.