NORTHVILLE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Monday marks exactly five years since the first case of COVID-19 broke out in Michigan. Since then, Michigan’s restaurant industry has faced challenges, with some restaurants closing their doors forever.
Tara Young is the proud owner of 44 Burrito in Lathrup Village, specializing in Mexican food with her own special soul food twist. Young works long hours and helps out with every job behind the scenes, because she has to.
"Finding employees is very, very difficult," she said.
Like many restaurants, Young struggled during the pandemic. She opened up 44 Burrito about 12 years ago out of her love and passion for cooking. She says the last five have been the most difficult.
"A lot of nights, I think about throwing in the towel," she said.
Not finding workers and the rising costs of food are just a few of the reasons why Young is thinking of closing her doors for good. And she’s not the only one.
"COVID's had a long tail. It's five years later and we are still seeing restaurant closures that tie themselves to the challenges post-COVID," Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association President and CEO Justin Winslow said.
According to the MRLA, over 2,000 restaurants closed down in Michigan directly related to the difficulties during and after the pandemic. But being able to adapt has helped. That includes having outdoor dining options.
“One day, my owner came up to me and said 'hey, I got a great idea for next year. Let’s have igloos.' And it kind of snowballed from there," the manager of Deadwood Bar and Grill in Northville, Lee Opalewski, said.
Deadwood Bar and Grill came up with their igloo idea in 2018 but continue it to this day after seeing how helpful and successful they were during the pandemic. They also continue carry-out alcohol, something stemming from COVID-19 restrictions in 2020.
Many restaurants across metro Detroit have continued outdoor dining and igloos well after the pandemic. Many social districts have also remained.
"No matter what, we’re gonna adapt, we’re gonna try to figure out something else to do. People want to be together and have these experiences where they can dine and enjoy each other's company," Opalewski added.
Now the hope is that despite all the hurdles, the restaurant industry bounces back by getting younger generations excited about the craft. Winslow says this year's Michigan ProStart Competition in Battle Creek, where high school students participate in a culinary arts competition, is a good indicator.
"We have a record number of students right now from across Michigan: 700 students. That is almost twice as many as we had just a couple of years ago competing. That means that there's passion and desire to be in this industry, because these are the future leaders," Winslow said.
