By Sebastian Vega

Stephanie and Anthony (not seen) Bravo undertook the responsibility of running their family's diner, Tak's Coffee Shop in Leimert Park, Los Angeles, in June 2014.

Every morning at 3 a.m., siblings Stephanie and Anthony Bravo open their 20-year-old mom-and-pop diner, Tak's Coffee Shop. Though it has been a two-decade effort for their parents, they're just getting used to the early clock-in.

Stephanie and Anthony (24 and 23, respectively) have been helping their parents manage Tak's for as long as they can remember. The family-owned restaurant, located in a strip mall in Leimert Park, Los Angeles, was founded in 1996, shortly after the two were born. In 2014, the siblings formally committed to the diner as full-time employees, taking over the kitchen and business management.

Tak's Coffee Shop was a successor to the entertainment venue, Holiday Bowl - a notable former business in Leimert Park that included an arcade, bowling alley and coffee shop - shortly before it closed in 2000. According to the Bravo family, Holiday Bowl - founded in the late 1950s - was widely known for its inclusivity during times of segregation.

For Stephanie and Anthony, jumping into management at Tak's wasn't anything new, however extensive street closures along Crenshaw Boulevard in 2015 slowed business and plummeted the diner into its biggest financial deficit.

"We had to cut down hours," Stephanie said. "We had to take out of our savings and put it in the restaurant."

Anthony said the street closure prompted diners to look for a more convenient place to eat. Additionally, major construction was beginning to take place in and around the strip mall, making it appear as if the diner wasn't open for business. He is certain that Tak's stayed in business even during this difficult time because of the loyalty of their customers.

"Our clients are the number one thing that helped us bounce back up," Anthony said. "They're our main social network."

Now that the street closure has ceased, the siblings said business is somewhat back to normal. Nevertheless, mall construction is still underway. Stephanie said they've just ordered a "we're open" banner to hang under the mall's sign.

Despite having a loyal clientele, Stephanie said she wanted to find news ways of advertising online. She found that the easiest way to do this is by making a Facebook and Instagram account for the restaurant.

Inadvertently, Stephanie said their biggest aid in bringing in new customers recently has been their business's Yelp page, which was either auto-generated or created by a customer.

"I just heard customers saying, 'Oh, we saw this on Yelp. This is our favorite plate. We see it has a lot of good reviews, can we order that?'" Stephanie said.

As of now, Tak's Yelp page sports 4 stars and 69 reviews.

"[Tak's is] my favorite neighborhood gem," Yelp user Katie H. reviewed. "Tucked away in Crenshaw Square, Tak's is a throwback to a bygone era."

With changes in management, the siblings struggle to keep their restaurant's classic taste unchanging, as well as their doors open.

When Tak's Coffee Shop was located inside Holiday Bowl, the siblings said their father, Florentino Bravo (right), worked in the kitchen for 18 hours a day. When the establishment separated and moved down the street, their father followed and continued working. He would soon inherit half of the diner's ownership, and later, full responsibility.

The children said they feel the pressure of running a business built by their father who's moving into retirement.

"I push myself for my mom and dad," Anthony said. "Hopefully they don't come and see that we've failed. I just try to prosper and succeed. That's the goal right there."

Anthony (left), who works as a cook, said he would watch his father in the kitchen nonstop when he was younger. He strives to run the shop like his dad did all those years ago.

"When we get packed like this we just try to keep on pushing," Anthony said. "That's how my dad taught me. He said sometimes you'll get minor scratches and bruises, but that can't stop you.

Looking forward, Stephanie said she wants to expand the restaurant and open up more Tak's Coffee Shops throughout the city.

"I want to make my father proud," Stephanie said. "His hard work wasn't for nothing. He's been here [and Holiday Bowl] for 47 years, so it's impacted our lives growing up. I want him to know he can count on us to make this a bigger and better place. I'm going to make sure my dad is at peace by knowing the restaurant is in good hands."