Several local businesses report that they have stopped hiring, reduced hours and cut jobs.
The reason?
|
|
The consistent lack of customers is most keenly felt in businesses that normally depend on the constant flow of tourist traffic along Highway 1 in the summer.
In Pillar Point Harbor, Ketch Joanne Restaurant has had to lay off one employee and cut between 25 to 30 staff hours per week just to stay afloat.
"We're really tight with our employees. They have families and homes," said Albert Dunne, Ketch Joanne general manager. "We're not the corporate, 'chop your head off' kind of thing. It was really hard for me."
Dunne said the restaurant had to transfer money from its credit line to balance its books. So far, he estimates that the restaurant is between $50,000 and $70,000 behind in revenues.
"We actually have a good local following," said Dunne. "There's just not enough locals in this town to support anything."
At the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, staffing is down about 20 percent on any given day, managers said.
Lack of patrons also forced the restaurant to lay off eight employees since the slide's closure.
To compensate for the loss, the restaurant is holding promotional activities, such as charity fund-raisers every Wednesday, as well as more live music and other events to generate more business.
"We're trying to do all kinds of different things to get folks over here. We're attacking it the best we can," said Mike Laffen, Brewing Company president. "That's what the customers want. They don't want us to whine about the slide."
Some businesses simply didn't hire anyone this spring.
At La Di Da Jazz Café, co-owner Luz Desalesa said that revenues are down between 30 to 40 percent since April, despite the fact that most of her customers are local.
"We're still affected. Customers never stop by here anymore," she said. "Instead of having coffee, they say 'never mind.'"
Desalesa said she would have hired workers in the summer. This summer, however, the café's co-owner said that she has had to work more hours herself and not replace other employees who have left.
"In some ways it's easier," said Sean Myren, La Di Da employee. "I don't have to do as much because there's less (customers). And I'm paid more because there are not as many workers."
w