Last weekend’s storm and the effects of lingering ice had a costly effect on area restaurants, small businesses and their employees.
“Collectively hundreds of thousands were lost,” said Rachel Sears, executive director of the Williamsburg Area Restaurant Association, which represents about 100 restaurants. “That would be a fair number for our members.”
Many businesses were forced to close or reduce hours last Saturday and Sunday and into the week as ice remained on many streets and parking lots. Busch Gardens has already announced it will be closed this weekend because of the next round of winter weather.
“Weather has had a negative impact with the loss of time and income,” Sears said. “It reiterates that restaurants need our support. Owners never like to close, they need revenue to cover utilities and staff needs income.”
The storm caused the pipes to freeze at Dizzy Izzy’s on Jamestown Road in James City County, leaving the restaurant without water. “I’ve not been able to open one bit this week,” owner Jim Kennedy said. “Businesses work on small margins and hurt big time, and employees hurt when they can’t work.”
Across town at Dominion Dogs on Merrimac Trail in York County, the hot dog joint, like many other area restaurants, closed early last Saturday and remained closed all day Sunday and Monday. The weather definitely hurt the profit line, an employee said, and it will be “the same thing again if a storm hits this weekend.”
Terry Banez, chief executive officer of the Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce, agreed about the “huge economic impact because most of our businesses were closed Sunday and Monday.” She said she didn’t yet have data on the losses, but said “it was large.”
“What’s important is the we support local businesses,” Banez said. “We’re also worried that we may lose other days this weekend when the community can’t get out” because of the weather, she added.
Many of the pancake restaurants, such as Southern Pancake and Waffle House on Richmond Road, closed Sunday because they were unable to get the ice off their parking lots. “That was our only problem,” owner Corey Bartlett said. Colonial Pancake remained closed on Monday because the Page Street parking lot was still covered with ice.
Dan Hauseman, owner of Charly’s Airport Restaurant, said he was closed “for three days with absolutely no business. It was pretty bad — our parking area was a sheet of ice.”
At least one business owner tried to make the best out of having to close up shop. On Monday, Glenn Lavender, co-owner of the Silver Hand Meadery on Monticello Avenue, put on his ice skates and skated on the “ice rink” in his parking lot.
“I couldn’t let the opportunity pass up,” the native Canadian said. But, he added, “anytime you have snow (or bad weather) it’s painful on the bottom line … Bad weather definitely makes things more challenging.”
Area hospitals, other health facilities and pharmacies also reported treating many people over the past week with broken bones and/or fractured ribs from falls. Williamsburg-James City County schoolchildren spent the week learning remotely.
Wilford Kale, [email protected]