As weather cools and outside dining areas close, restaurants face another hurdle to financial recovery.
Jeff Mease is the cofounder of One World Enterprises, Pizza X, The Hive, and Lennie’s here in Bloomington.
He says when outdoor seating was strong, Lennie’s was making about 50 percent of its normal profits. As weather has cooled, that’s dropped to about 25 percent.
Mease says most downtown businesses are seeing the same dip in business coinciding with cold weather.
“The uncertainty, business of course just hates uncertainty.”
Mease says business with Pizza X has been strong, which has helped to support his other restaurants through the pandemic.
He adds the community has shown a lot of support for local businesses, but he recognizes everyone is struggling right now.
He says workers dependent on tips and other service workers have been hit hardest as they are not making their normal wages or getting as many hours as they need.
