1. Waitress Alice Lau serves food at the Great Wall restaurant in Reseda. Lau has had her hours cut and is seeing more empty tables as people eat out less. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
2. Fewer clients mean barber Rogelio Valdez cant afford Great Wall meals. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
3. Dave Vasquez cut out visits to barber Valdez when he lost his nanny job. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
4. Bill and Nikki Maxwell let nanny Vasquez go after they lost their jobs. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
5. Jay Koottarappallil, left, couldnt pay employees -- including Bill Maxwell -- after work dried up. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
