TOLEDO, Ohio — With the restaurant business already hurting from the pandemic, this week's winter storm was yet another obstacle preventing establishments from making money.
“Weather always throws off restaurants. It’s one of those things where you lose a couple days. It can turn you upside down financially. It’s a tough call when mother nature hits like that,” said Moussa Salloukh, owner and chef at Souk Mediterranean Kitchen and Bar in downtown Toledo.
Souk and many other restaurants around the area had to close their doors on Thursday due to the weather. Salloukh says the place is usually closed on Sundays, but will be open for "pop-up brunch" to make up for revenue lost earlier in the week.
Meanwhile down the street at Blarney Irish Pub, business slowed to a crawl on Wednesday before the forced the restaurant to close entirely on Thursday.
On Friday however, despite the lingering snow on the ground, business began to bounce back.
RELATED: Highway conditions improving after storm kept snow plow crews and highway patrol troopers busy
“Obviously Thursday we were closed. Wednesday night was a little slow. Thursday with us being closed, we got right back at it Friday,” said Blarney managing partner Bill Kline.
Kline says some employees took the day off as a chance to enjoy the snow, while customers were eager to get out to the bars after being snowed in.
“I think everybody’s kind of cooped up inside. A lot of our workers were out on the snow hills, sledding. I heard there was a group of them out there having fun, enjoying the day off,” said Kline.
The severe winter weather can be an obstacle, but restaurant owners say it’s nothing compared to the challenge of COVID.
“I think COVID got us pretty quick on our feet. This weather is kind of minor compared to what we’ve gone through with the pandemic and all that,” said Salloukh.
RELATED: