San Diego Department of Health and Human services shows that more than 50% of East County residents have now been vaccinated against COVID-19, indicating it is in the beginning stages of post-pandemic recovery. What does the local business community have to say about a potential return to pre-pandemic normalcy?
Alpine Social restaurant owners Ronnie and Lauren Boyer, who opened just as the pandemic hit, said a big challenge for local business owners is the simple fact that Alpine has no localized government to advocate for them.
“The biggest help we could get would be government officials coming out and telling people to trust local businesses and their cleanliness standards, and support us. It’s hard in Alpine because we don’t have a localized government. We’re not El Cajon with a mayor. We pretty much have no chamber of commerce, Congressman Issa doesn’t care about Alpine, we don’t have a city council, we don’t have anyone. The community as a whole is willing to help each other out but we don’t have someone centrally to advocate or start the momentum,” Ronnie Boyer said.
His wife and restaurant co-owner Lauren Boyer said they are also finding it challenging to hire additional help to fuel growth when potential employees earn more on unemployment.
“We’ve desperately been wanting someone else so we can expand our hours and build up our business. We’ve been trying to hire an additional cook for six months but why would someone want to go out and get a job if they’re making more at home,” she asked.
She knows of at least one local business offering financial incentives for entry-level dishwashers simply to stay on for three months after being newly hired. Beyond her frustration with the situation as a local business owner, she is worried the real issue is going to emerge as a national crisis where consumers feel the brunt of inflation driven by higher wages and end up spending less at local businesses.
Ayres Lodge General Manager Larry Clark echoed that fear, said getting people back to work is difficult.
“Everyone I’ve talked to in hospitality is having trouble. I’m anticipating that once the additional monies for unemployment run out, we’re going to see a difference in that employment situation,” Clark said.
Meanwhile, Alpine Ace Hardware Manager Tim Mathews said that same problem— lack of employees— is something that has the secondary effect of diminishing product availability.
“My biggest problem is lack of product. I’m still below 80% of product and each week, there’s about $20,000 worth of product that isn’t available in store,” Mathews said, because there are not enough delivery drivers to get stock into stores. That missing stock, he said, equates to lost sales.
East County Chamber of Commerce President Rick Wilson said businesses all over the area are having trouble hiring new…
Read More: Businesses contend with employee, product shortage