When reviewing businesses that the COVID pandemic has seriously harmed, it’s pretty clear that restaurants are at the top of the list. Beyond the fact that some of these establishments had to close their doors permanently, those who have survived have faced endless logistic challenges. That includes the shortage of staff, a food supply chain crisis, finding funds to help unemployed workers, ever-changing guidelines from the government, grumpy customers, and exhausted waitstaff and kitchen help.
With all that in mind, it’s not hard to realize that the owners of these businesses are on edge. For almost two years, they have been shell-shocked by the stress of it all, worrying almost daily whether they will survive the month.
So when the Spy sat down with two leaders of the St. Michaels Restaurant Association last week to talk about recent changes in town policies, that anxiety was in full view. Those changes included the reduction of the marketing budget, changes in parking and trash pick up, and a newly proposed business license fee, all of it without the direct input from the owners of dining establishments.
In the case of Chris Agharabi, owner of Ava’s and Theo’s, and Jennifer Stevens, the general manager of Bistro St. Michaels, who has close to thirty years of combined experience working in the St. Michaels hospitality sector, it has reached a boiling point. As noted in their Spy interview, Chris and Jen are frustrated by these significant changes and the lack of communication and clarity that accompanied them.
They both make the case that this is an example of how the Town of St. Michaels Commissioners has not reached out to the hospitality industry, one of the major backbones of the town’s economy, for important input on these policies. They also talk about the lack of transparency in making these decisions and a sense that their hard work for decades has been met with surprising indifference by the town’s current leadership.
Finally, Chris and Jen make the case that the SMRA is willing to work with the Commissioners to find a pathway forward for the benefit of all who live and work in St. Michaels.
This video is approximately four minutes in length.
Susan E Kemp says
Trouble in the kitchen? More like trouble in “River City ” The old saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” certainly applies in this instance. Town Commissioners, before considering changes to policies and regulations, run those ideas by the people or groups that would be affected by such manoeuvring. COMMON SENSE should dictate and prevail!
Craig Fuller says
Excellent discussion!
It’s been my good fortune (though I never made one with restaurants) to be involved with several establishments over the year. I know of no group that works as hard, dealing with the public, the changes in the economy, COVID and everything else for such very, very narrow margins.
The restauranteurs should be viewed as pillars of our community. They run establishments that not only nourish but provide safe places for people to gather and they employ our local people. They purchase goods and supplies from other local companies further contributing to our local economies. With strong reputations they make our community a destination drawing people here for the first time and then back again.
These members of the community should be among the first people local officials consider and confer with as they think about the future. And, by the way, it really is the future upon which the officials need to focus….not life as it used to be.
Sharon Puckett says
Chris and Jen, why were you not consulted? Your points are on point. The business have been here probably longer than the complaints. If you move next to a restaurant or business, expect the traffic, expect the noise. I’m under the impression that the city taxes pay for trash pick up. What are the Commissioners trying to prove? Who voted these people in? It just reeks of the person who said they were a resident and that the church bells were waking their sleeping child. Then someone ordered the church bells peels be lowered. Now I cannot hear them any longer. Come to find out this complainant was not a resident but a short term renter without a child. I miss hearing the bells. Finally limiting parking will only harm us. The residents of Saint Michaels. I am handicapped and can only walk a short distance. When I am going to Pemberton, Avas, Hammys or the Bistro how is that going to impact me and others?
I can only say, Shame on the Commissioners. Look past your own agenda. Look into the taxes that our businesses pay. They most probably go to our infrastructure, our schools, our overall economy. When we need our streets plowed, new trees and curb cuts were do they think we as a town will get that money.
I’d just like to thank our businesses that not only stayed open and feed us, filled our prescriptions and gave our visitors safe places to go. But helped our economy and fed so many of our frontliners and those who needed help feeding their families.
I hope that my comments make some sense to sensible people. I thank the Commissioners for their thoughts and other actions and their sense of community. But this action is would not be helpful to our overall community.
PAMELA OWENS says
Ava’s and Theo’s are our 2 most favorites! Our Midnight Madness stay is close to 200$ more than last year…Love that Christmas weekend but with no Ava’s, for Sunday football,??? Concerned.
Helen Kenney - Poore says
Commissioners apparently don’t understand the difference between our small businesses and a major corporation. When revenue is down, payroll, rent and taxes are met out of our personal accounts, if need be. We put our heart, soul and life savings into our business. Instead of making it more difficult, work together to make it easier. The commissioners need to think of themselves as a lifeline to our small businesses, not the final anchor, holding them down.
Oliver Voss says
Excellent discussion! Thank you for the frank insights. I have listened to several Commissioner meetings and have heard people comment that St Michaels needs to be more like Oxford, with less music and less restaurant seating on Main St (i.e., Talbot St) but the street seating and live music at The Galley, C St, ESB, Foxys, Harbor Inn, Blue Crab, etc, is what makes St Michaels St Michaels. If people want this great town to go the direction of sleepy Oxford, then they should move to Oxford. Keep St Michaels Fun, for goodness sake, and let’s help these great businesses thrive, not suffer. They’ve gone through enough pain these past 18 months…please weigh their needs more than the few residents who complain about people enjoying the St Michaels atmosphere.
Ann DeMart says
Our restaurants and small businesses are part of what makes St. Michaels special. When I moved here, I made friends just by eating at the bars at Ava’s, Theo’s, and Bistro. Their employees were also dear to my mother and another elderly friend, and exceptionally kind to me when they died. I love bringing friends from out-of-town to these establishments, and always hear how lucky I am to live here. These restauranteurs, small businesses, and their staffs are members of our community and they deserve clear communication, common sense requirements, and much better treatment by the Town Commissioners.
Katie M Edmonds’s says
Right on
Cathy Young says
The restaurants are not just the backbone of the town economy but the heart and soul of the town. They give the town its charm. We should be doing everything we can to support them!
Rick Young says
I have been in love with St. Michaels for thirty years because of the unique shops and restaurants. I have also seen how town leaders destroy a good thing by not listening and working with the businesses that attract tourism. Frenchtown New Jersey is a very small attractive town along the Delaware River where business owners have had the same frustration. Whoever these “town leaders” are you need to listen to and work with the businesses and keep it going. Thank you for such a beautiful town and for keeping parking free most of all!