I SHUDDER DRIVING BY A SHUTTERED RESTAURANT

I can’t help but wince when I drive by a shuttered restaurant.

Warning of dashed dreams.

What was once a dream for some restaurateur is now a cold reminder of how cruel business can be. The potential windfall has become the downfall. Dreams are dashed. And all this is before COVID-19!


Double the hurt

The financial hurt is compounded by the mental hurt. I truly feel for them. I’ve visited my share of vacant restaurants. There is a significant chill to an empty business that was once based on a vibrant activity of food, drink, and social interaction. It adds to the pain.

Note that this particular restaurant for lease, and most other shuttered restaurants I recently noticed, happen to be chain restaurants. I consider these operators as investors rather than restaurateurs, though. But it still doesn’t soften the blow for the entrepreneur.


Local restaurants are vulnerable

Unfortunately, many more local restaurants are closing and will never reopen as an eatery. They are the ones that don’t have the bucks to ride out this shit storm. It’s the independent restaurants that truly deserve our sympathy because they are the trailblazers and generally can ill afford the loss.

These independent restaurants have their dreams dashed and this adds salt to the financial wound. It still gives me chills.