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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 17 A P R I L 1 8 , 2 0 2 2 F O C U S H O S P I TA L I T Y / T O U R I S M She expects that could minimize the stress of having fewer employ- ees, but could also create scheduling complications because employees will likely have second jobs. Hathaway obtained two rounds of Paycheck Protection Program loans, which helped keep her café afloat. "We raised everyone's salary, like everyone else, in order to keep people," she says. For example, the dishwasher posi- tion increased from between $16 and $18 to $20. A key breakfast item difficult to source was pre-cut potatoes for home- fries. She ordered whole potatoes, which meant a time-consuming pro- cess for an already short-handed crew. To compensate, Hathaway thinks she'll do more a la carte. "So instead of homefries immedi- ately coming with your omelets, you'd have to order it," she says. e changes likely mean higher menu prices. "If we go a la carte, we'll lower the egg prices and then they'll have to add on," she says. Overrun "We were overrun, absolutely over- run," says Jim Heyer, co-owner of the Water Street Tavern & Inn in Lubec. Heyer says the small coastal town in general saw a huge influx of visitors last year. "People ask me all the time, 'Why don't you advertise?' And I say, 'I don't need to.'" e tavern's crew, including a local chef, has remained steady through the years; that was largely the same last year. But the influx meant adjusting operations. e tavern accommodates 58 people per seating. e first week it was first-come first-serve. "We open at 5 o'clock. At 4 o'clock we had 40 or 50 people standing in the street waiting to get in," he says. He instituted 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. seatings, with reservations recom- mended, and sent latecomers to the local pizzeria and deli. "All of them did extremely well last year," he says. When certain supplies fell short, Heyer substituted. He likes a particu- lar brand of Italian wine. "e wine was at the ship, but the distributor couldn't get it off the ship," he says. So his distributor bought the wine from another in New York. "You've got two distributors involved, plus shipping," he says. "But it wasn't anything you couldn't overcome. I'd say, "Where's the wine I like?' ey'd say, 'We can't get it.' Well, the customer drinks some- thing else." Order at the counter Not far away in Lubec is Cohill's Inn and Irish Pub, where staffing was a top challenge. C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » FlyBangor.com Jena Young, co-owner of Side Street Café in Bar Harbor, says she's been leaning on a team mindset to get through challenges in the restaurant industry. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F S I D E S T R E E T C A F É

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