Reply #49: A street level view. [View All]

[Dr.Phool]

Last year I went in partners with a friend of mine on a carry-out pizza and Italian restaurant in Tampa. Back in March, I sold my interest out to my partner. The economy was tanking, and the price of supplies were going through the roof.

My old partner is going out of town for a few days this week, and asked if I would come in and take care of the place for him for a few days. No, problem, I said, and I went down Thursday to familiarize myself with the way things are running now.

He started closing on Mondays. No business. Cut down to Saturday evenings. No early business. Other days , slow except for Fridays, and they've slowed down a lot. He's cut back on staff, also.

Five restaurants in the immediate neighborhood have gone out of business in the last couple of months. More are on the brink.

The money that people would spend on a pizza or carryout on the week-ends is going into their gas tanks, or for groceries now.

Even though the price of a 50 lb bag of flour has increased over 300% in the last year, or cheese has doubled in price, and all the suppliers are adding a fuel surcharge on deliveries, he's kept the prices the same. But, business keeps sliding. One good thing was that neither of us had to depend on the business to make a living. But, our employees did.

And, I'm gonna work for him free of charge, just because we're friends.