Local restaurants operational hours impacted by lack of workers

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The pandemic is continuing to create challenges for businesses across the area. The lack of workers is forcing many restaurants to reduce hours, or close their doors altogether.

J. Michael’s Philly Deli’s Porters Neck location temporarily closed its doors in August, and A & G Bar-B-Que & Chicken in Carolina Beach is closing for good, due to not having enough wait staff.

J. Michael’s Philly Deli’s Porters Neck location will be welcoming back customers tomorrow, after being temporarily closed due to a staffing shortage.

Owner Joseph Hutson says J. Michael’s Hanover Center and Monkey junction locations have been able to stay open, in spite of the staffing challenges.

“Unfortunately, we’ve gotten to a point, where we have had difficulty getting labor to work in the shops, and of course its continued on. We’ve had to close our shops multiple times due to some COVID problems, and a lot…most of the time because of labor problems,” said Joseph Hutson.

Hutson says the Porters Neck location will re-open with modified days and hours, Thursday through Sunday, with plans to extend hours when once they have more workers.

“We’re trying to get back on track. The best blessing that we have, is we have such a great corps of people that work for us or work with us for over 42 years, and they’ve hung in with us, and it’s been very difficult on them. It got so difficult, that we finally had to take their feelings in consideration. It was just…they just couldn’t do it. It was just too taxing on them,” said Hutson.

A & G Bar-B-Que & Chicken in Carolina Beach is closing for good, due to not having enough wait staff. The owners say the lack of workers greatly impacted the remaining staff members they had, and they never expected the shortage to lead them to close its doors.

“No, I had no idea that it would come down to this. I mean, it’s always been hard to find help that would actually do decent. Over the years it has declined, you know, the help situation, and now, you know, we can’t hire people, and that’s not only our problem. It’s everybody’s problem,” said Angela Stalnaker, A & G Bar-B-Que & Chicken in Carolina Beach.

The restaurant has served Carolina Beach for almost 33 years, and is thankful for customers support.

“All of them have expressed how sad they are to us, and that they’ll miss us,” said Stalnaker.

“Thank you for all the good years, we have been here, and we appreciate every customer we have had,” said Alton Riggs, established A & G Bar-B-Que & Chicken.

A & G’s last day in business was on Wednesday. A new restaurant  named “Butts ‘N’ Such” will take its place in that location. The new owners say they’re planning to open by mid-October, and will keep some of the A&G’s menu options and recipes, also adding new dishes. Some staff members from A&G will work at “Butts N’ Such”.