If you think that the restaurant industry is on solid ground these days, you’re not paying attention. While each situation is unique, there are headwinds facing independent restaurant owners, forces driving a distressing wave of closures. On the operator side are hardships such as higher food and labor costs and difficulty in hiring and retaining staff. On the consumer side, customers are reining in spending, relying more on delivery than dining out.
Even the restaurants that appear to be thriving are likely struggling beneath the surface. Take Salt, the award-winning Lakewood restaurant operated by Jill Vedaa and Jessica Parkison. Despite local and national accolades, the once-hot bistro closed in August.
“This business is changing a lot,” Vedaa says. “The landscape — how people are eating and drinking — has completely changed.”
Melt Bar and Grilled has been facing many of the same pressures. Aggressive expansion took the homegrown brand from the original shop in Lakewood to 13-plus restaurants and satellite stores. To save the brand, founder Matt Fish announced that he was closing all but the original restaurant in Lakewood, which will undergo improvements to food quality, service and atmosphere.