The recent storm that caused widespread power outages in Maine had a tough impact on restaurants in Bangor, leading to temporary closures and financial losses shortly before Christmas.
Due to power loss during Monday’s destructive wind and rainstorm, many eateries in the city closed early. The storm left thousands without power, and numerous areas faced flooding and road closures. Almost all of Maine’s 16 counties declared a state of emergency. A few places, such as Angelo’s Pizzeria, were still without power on Wednesday and couldn’t resume operations.
The storm created problems for many of Bangor’s restaurants, resulting in spoiled food and canceled shifts for kitchen and wait staff, who depend on holiday season work. Every day a business remains closed represents significant financial loss, and the week leading up to Christmas is a vital time for families to gather and employers to treat their workers to special meals, explained Bob Cutler, the owner of Novio’s Bistro.
Cutler mentioned that if his restaurant didn’t regain power by a certain time, it would affect their ability to serve dinner on specific days. He estimated that his restaurant had to discard several thousand dollars’ worth of food, only a fraction of the overall losses experienced by restaurants when they are forced to close.
In addition to financial implications, employees who rely on these jobs for holiday shopping and supporting their loved ones felt the impact. Cutler recognized the broader community struggle, considering the thousands of Mainers still dealing with power outages at home.
Charles Melino, the general manager at Sea Dog Brewing Co. in Bangor, mentioned that losing a day of sales is unfortunate but a part of winter in Maine.
Some businesses, like Timber Kitchen & Bar, had generators to keep food safe during the power outage. Others, such as Judy’s on State Street, were fortunate not to lose power and remained busy. Geaghan’s Pub & Craft Brewery, while back to normal on Wednesday, had to discard approximately $1,000 worth of inventory but focused on providing extra hours for employees during the weekend to compensate for the inconvenience.
Reimagined By Digi Girl
DISCLAIMER: Author is under many pen names. This article was rewritten based on these links: Spoiled food, canceled shifts: Bangor restaurants take a hit after the storm (bangordailynews.com)
