“You make me wanna cry”
Scavenge: to salvage from discarded or refuse material
also : to salvage usable material from – Merriam-Webster.com
The Bug
Amazing how something we can’t even see can bring the world’s economy to its knees. COVID-19 is the ultimate bug for all the wrong reasons.
Not to be flippant with the term “bug” which is defined as “a microorganism (such as bacterium or virus) especially when causing illness or disease” (Merriam-Webster). It is unique, though, in its devastating effect unlike anything the world has ever experienced and it warrants this blunt term.
There will be entrepreneurs taking advantage of the ill fortune of many restaurant operators who suffer and subsequently close for good.
Exploring the bargains
There will be perfectly good restaurants sitting empty, just waiting for the next operator. Some entrepreneurs will be entering the restaurant business for the first time and others, like the survivors, will be expanding to add another location.
The initial cost to open a restaurant will be significantly lower, even with the addition of the prerequisite renos to create a new style of eatery.
Restaurateurs will be able to score kitchen equipment at bargain rates, especially if the premise’s usage has changed and the equipment has to be removed.
And lease rates will be cheaper as landlords scramble to get rent streaming in again. There could be a glut of empty locations on the market.
The food chain
Although the fortunate ones are basically scavengers, it doesn’t mean that they are cruel or devious. It’s similar to the circle of life in the wild. Someone’s misfortune is someone else’s gain.
I remember halfway through construction of my first restaurant when I ran out of money. One of the trades was ready to seize the unfinished premises for a bargain at my expense. They could smell blood. Luckily, I was able to fend them off until I tracked down additional financing to finish construction and open the doors.
It reminded me of the vultures that circle around an easy meal. It’s not personal; it’s business.
Grab me a tissue
It still makes me want to cry.