06/28/2022
Written by our son Jack ❤️
To everybody,
To everybody who is so sorry to see a great bar go, to everybody who is so sad that they can’t get the best steak tidbits or the best wings or the best spinach & artichoke dip anymore, to everybody who says “but it’s so busy every time I’m there,” or “but I love that place why is it closing?”
Here is why.
The state of the workforce is despicable. The state of the economy is despicable. The state of society is despicable. Every single local business is struggling. Every business that relies on entry-level employees is struggling. This is being seen not only in the restaurant industry, but all industries across the board. People are unwilling to work.
During the pandemic, when it made more sense financially to stay home, make money from unemployment, plus all the other checks that were flowing into the bank accounts of everybody who made less than a certain amount, of course, anybody under those circumstances who had the option would stay home. But that’s over now. It’s time to get back to work.
So before all your other local favorites start closing down, help them out. If you know anybody capable, who’s over 16 years old, who’s sitting around all summer, who’s scrolling through TikTok and Instagram, who’s wasting their days away, send them down. EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS is dying for competent staff. All availabilities, all skill levels, all education levels, fill out an application. All it takes is the effort.
My brother and I are proud to tell the story of when we served a party of 50 wonderful people when we were the ripe old ages of roughly 8 to 10 years old. All we needed was a pen and paper and a set of hands. Thankfully, with their generosity and patience, and our years of practice carrying a tray around the house since we started walking, we each made more money in tips than we had ever previously dreamed of, and quickly realized how far the slightest bit of effort could take us.
I rose through the ranks at many restaurants since then, from peeling and cleaning the “Hershey Highway” out of shrimp as a form of corporal punishment, to hosing down patios ‘til the sun came up on the Nautical Mile, to being the youngest server at a busy downtown Boston restaurant working 30+ hours a week while pursuing a full time Bachelor’s degree, and then coming back home to work 70+ hours a week managing my parents’ two restaurants at just 21 years old (and I ran them very well, to all my disgruntled former staff who didn’t like me, we can go over the stats whenever you’d like), all because I worked hard and was willing to learn. Of course I knew a guy in some of those positions, but all I had to do was print out a resume, iron a shirt, show up with a pen and say hi for most of the others.
Even outside the restaurant industry, all businesses could use a helping hand. Let them tell you no. Older people, send the message out to young people that they need to start understanding and gaining resiliency early. The best professional baseball batters are only successful about a quarter to a third of the time, and they make MILLIONS. The worst thing that can happen when you ask for something is to be told no. But you know that, and you ask anyway, and that’s why you’re asking.
Go ask ten places for a job, and get denied by half of them. You’re still doing better than Judge and Alonso, and you get to pick whichever job you want. Who’s better than you!
While the Corry family is sad to see the restaurant go, we’ll always be here. If I stole your drink/kicked you out/got you (redacted so Mom can repost)/didn’t give you a buyback when you “deserved” one at any point because you were young (or old) and stupid, find me and I’ll buy you a drink. We’re strongly rooted in Wantagh and we’re not leaving any time soon. (If anybody has a deal on a house let me know, I’m waiting for the crash any day now.)
Thankful to the faithful who helped my family keep smiles on our faces through the ups and downs. We’ll see you around.
Spread the word, everywhere needs help. Gotta start somewhere.
To this day I still won’t eat shrimp.
Wantagh Chamber of Commerce
