OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The restaurant business can be unpredictable but these past few years have brought additional challenges: a pandemic, supply chain crisis and staffing shortages are compounding stress.
"It's the craziest things that you would never believe would be short, like vanilla wafers. We can't get vanilla wafers from either of our suppliers that we normally do," Tired Texan BBQ owner, Christine Holland said.
"Like literally, they've been out of peaches, peaches. You have to decide, whether you are going to keep the stuff on your menu when you're out or you're just going to be without when the customers come and they be like: 'You were out last time,'" Rib Shack Smoke House owner, Jackie Robbins said.
Holland and Robbins say finding staff is exhausting. Robbins has to go to extreme measures to find help.
"I still haven't got no full staff. I've been having volunteers help me come, senior citizens that's retired. They'll just come donate their time and that's how we've been surviving," Robbins said.
"I'm exhausted every day, my legs burn when I get home. Because of being short-staffed, I'm having to do more of the serving and everything else," Holland said.
Robbins and Holland have also faced personal and professional tragedies. Tired Texan BBQ experienced a fire in June, causing them to close for four months. Robbins lost her son, which caused her to close Rib Shack for nearly a month.
"One challenge after another, you know. We've battled hurdle after hurdle, but it's like there's too many hurdles. You can't make it that far over," Holland said.
Copps Pizza owner, Kris Copp has also faced challenges similar to other businesses but is establishing a new location on 108th and Center Streets. He credits growth to adapting.
"When the pandemic first hit, we had one store and we started delivering to Waterloo and Council Bluffs, probably not something really normal. But seeing as what's our chance - to do something more?" Copp said.
Difficult times bring a bevy of emotions to a profession that's tailored to making others happy.
"Every time I see a customer I know — I'm gonna miss seeing all these people that I know," Holland said.
Tired Texan BBQ will close on Mother's Day. To help the Rib Shack, click here.
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