Monday, 10/11

I wonder how much money I could make doing even just one day a week?

Loraine and I had our usual Saturday this past weekend, albeit one where the temperatures were in the 70s in the middle of October.  We ran out to the Kaufman Sports Complex to kick a soccer ball around for an hour and a half, and then came back downtown to clean up and grab some lunch.  This was around 2, so it was way past a traditional "lunch hour".  Now, I don't know if was because the weather was nice and everyone was out enjoying it or if there was something going on in Marquette we didn't know about, but every place we stopped into and every place we called for takeout said they were filled up.

We ended up waiting until late afternoon and getting a couple of pizzas from Smelted, a truck parked at Blackrocks Brewery near where live.  But, I guess, such is life in 2021 Marquette.

As we all know and as most of us have experienced, there is a labor shortage these days, especially at restaurants.  Every single restaurant in Marquette has "help wanted" signs, some offering quite a bit more in the way of pay than food establishments used to.  Almost everyone is looking for experienced line cooks, and that's what got me to wonder how much money I could make doing it.  Admittedly, I have no experience in being a line cook, but I'd like to think I'm a quick learner and I'd like to think that I do know how to cook.

So if I ever need a fourth side gig, I'm guessing I could probably land one without too much effort.

Thinking about it, though, I realize that there are two other reasons why Loraine and I couldn't get lunch on Saturday.  One is because of the massive influx of people visiting the city in the past two years.  Last year everyone came to Marquette because it was one of the few places (relatvely) untouched by the pandemic that tourists could visit in Michigan.  And then this year the masses (and then some) continued to swarm into Marquette, even in mid-October.  All these visitors need someplace to eat, which has the unfortunate side effect of kind of crowding those of us who live here out.

And that, in a way, is connected to the other reason that popped into my head.  Despite the fact that downtown Marquette is home to amazing restaurants left and right, there aren't as many as there used to be.  I mean, think of five or six years ago when places like Upfront or the Marq or the Third Street Border Grill (& the Third Street Jimmy John's) were around.  They're not any more.  Plus, the New York Deli (one of our favorites) shut down a few weeks ago ahead of moving to a bigger location.  If any of those places were still around they'd be able to soak up some of the excess demand that's exploded among diners over the past few years.

I know that finding workers in the food service industry is almost impossible these days.  But if you could, having a few more new downtown restaurants open would, at least to me, seem to be a surefire money maker.

I don't write this to complain; I really do feel for not only the owners of restaurants these days, but also for the overtaxed and overstressed people who work in them.  Every single person to whom I spoke Saturday seemed almost apologetic about not being able to squeeze us in, even for takeout.  And it's not their fault, which is something I hope I got across to them after they were forced to say "no".  It's just a sign of the times, a sign of one of those periodic transformations in the way we live our lives.

Whether or not it'll be a good change is something that only time will tell.  But, if I ever need a few extra dollars or want to add "chef" to the list of garbage collector, astronaut, and media dork that I spoke of Friday, I know that I probably won't have to search very hard to make it a reality.

(jim@wmqt.com)