The winter storm stymied restaurants and bars in Dallas-Fort Worth at an already difficult time.
Magnolia Avenue, packed with a typically lively strip of restaurants and shops in Fort Worth, was quiet Saturday in the midst of the winter storm.While record-breaking snowfall shutdown much of North Texas over the weekend, it obliterated revenue for many of the region’s restaurants and food businesses.
from the double blow of low winter sales and slowing consumer spending. It also hit during the time most restaurants make the majority of their weekly sales. “When you consider the revenue you would bring in over a weekend, it’s hard to give that up,” said Jimmy Contreras, owner of Taco y Vino. “It’s“We don’t want to risk anyone getting injured on the way to work or having them bend over backwards when it possibly won’t be beneficial to them,” Contreras said, “but the reality is we need the income.”, made the decision to open his Dallas restaurant on Saturday, staffed only by himself and his family. During the hours it was open, the restaurant made an eighth of normal Saturday sales. Both of his restaurants were closed Sunday and Monday.Between the two restaurants, Contreras estimates the weather-induced closures cost his business close to $30,000.His concern now is that February could bring another round of debilitating weather, which has happened the past few winters.“It always happens the week of Valentine’s Day,” Contreras said. “It’s like baby Jesus just doesn’t want Dallas restaurants to make money.”“Can I afford to do this again? Absolutely not,” Contreras said. At Lubbies Bagels in East Dallas, staff made it into the shop Saturday morning and customers trickled in, but by midday the weather worsened and sales stopped, so they closed. The shop remained closed Sunday and Monday.“We just finally got open today but it’s dead there,” said the bagel shop’s co-owner Andrea Lubkin. “The pain continues.” About 75% of Lubbies’ weekly sales are made between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Lubkin said. Having to close on those two days effectively wiped out an entire week of revenue. “Everybody is trying to hold their head above water right now,” she said. “This is just going to make it that much harder.” She isn’t losing hope, though. A few catering orders came in that will help float them through the challenging week.The best thing people can do to help restaurants recover, Contreras said, is to visit the ones in their own neighborhoods. “You don’t have to jeopardize your life to go to your favorite place on the other side of town,” he said. “Support your neighborhood places. Everyone needs help right now.”Since first starting her career at The Dallas Morning News in 2015, Claire has reported on a wide range of topics, covering breaking news, Dallas City Hall, criminal and civil courts and, most recently, food. Her work in recent years has included the shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets, the fentanyl epidemic and the Texas Hill Country floods.
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