ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — Kourosh Arsani has owned two restaurants at Orange Beach Marina for five years and is worried about how he can survive the recent economic downturn combined with the ever-widening oil disaster.

“We’re down anywhere from 40 to 60 percent, depending on the day of the week,” Arsani said Sunday at Calypso Joe’s. He also owns the Palms Bar and Grille upstairs and in the same building. “I’m 53 and I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Arsani says he hasn’t yet had to cut staff, but some workers are getting less shifts.

“We’re trying to avoid (layoffs) as much as possible,’’ he said. “Unlike other years, we haven’t hired any new people for the season.”

Even his doctor noticed the restaurant owner was a bit sad during a recent visit.

“I said I’m on the verge of losing everything,” he said. “The biggest problem here is our landlord doesn’t work with us on rent and the SBA (Small Business Administration) is threatening us because we are behind one month.

“We’ve been a good customer for five years and we are one month behind. It seems we take care of the world, but when it comes to our own people, we look the other way.

“It’s affecting everybody that has to do with the water. Boats, restaurants, shrimpers, property owners —everybody.”