Miami restaurateurs brace for another brutal summer slowdown
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When Blue Collar announced it was closing after 15 years, I was struck by a wave of sadness, then a sense of dread: "Oh no, here we go again."
- Just a few weeks before, Mignonette, the beloved seafood bar with the same owner, had also announced its closure after more than a decade.
Why it matters: The news came just before Miami's slow season and followed a series of other closures, signaling a possible repeat of last summer, when a slew of high-profile and longstanding restaurants and bars closed.
- Cheese Burger Baby (25 years), Segafredo L'Originale (26), and Misha's Cupcakes (20) have all announced their closures in recent weeks.
The big picture: The so-called summer slowdown this year is coupled with deeper economic uncertainties, adding even more strain to an already stretched-thin workforce, those in the industry tell Axios.
- For restaurants, that means not only considering the rising costs of food, distribution and labor, but also recognizing the clientele is weighing more than just the meal, Jeff Bud, owner of Lala's Burgers and Apocalypse BBQ, tells Axios.
- They're "making serious decisions" about the costs of getting to the restaurant, the parking and so forth, he says.
What they're saying: "At this point we're not even talking about being profitable. We're talking about breaking even," he says. "How do we keep the doors open and make sure we keep these people employed?"
- "We like to see Miami as this shiny city, but we forget that it's mostly everyday folks just trying to make it."
The other side: Gokhan Yuzbasioglu, owner of El Turco Turkish Food in Upper Buena Vista, shares similar sentiments, telling Axios, "We're all scared of the summer months."
- Even a successful restaurant like his struggles during the slower months, and increasing prices may push out loyal customers, he says.
That's why the county needs to encourage and incentivize summertime events throughout the city, those in the industry say. (The city's biggest events, like Art Basel, happen in the winter.)
- He's hoping the projected influx of travelers for the World Cup next month will be a good example of that and can offset the initial slowdown.
- "We only just started seeing the effects in the last two weeks."
Yest, but: While World Cup organizers have touted the tournament as a boost for the local economy, economists are skeptical of their estimates, which one told Axios were "wildly exaggerated."