Last call for alcohol came at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Gator’s Dockside at Brownwood. The popular restaurant closed its doors at 8 p.m. that night.
Easter is still nearly three weeks away and Villagers are quite obviously hosting their children and grandchildren on spring break. Many snowbirds are likely to linger a few more weeks.
However, the boom months of snowbird season have been hampered by a lingering lack of labor.
“We are still experiencing an exceedingly difficult hiring environment, leading us to a reduced Gator’s Dockside staff,” a sign on the door read at the restaurant. “As we do not always have enough team members to cover the entire restaurant, you may see empty tables. We know this may be frustrating, and we apologize for any inconvenience, but please be patient with the individuals who are here and willing to work.”
A new Culver’s restaurant is under construction at the Beaumont development on County Road 466A, a McDonalds is being built at Magnolia Plaza and Another Broken Egg Cafe has signed a lease for a restaurant in Brownwood. Restaurants are still locating in The Villages, but many wonder where workers will be found in the current economic environment.
Dr. Tyler Nelson of the Village of Rio Grande earlier this month in a Letter to the Editor, shared his idea for a solution to the restaurant staffing shortage problem. It elicited a tremendous response, both pro and con. Share your thoughts in a Letter to the Editor at letters@villages-news.com
