The Granite Falls Brewing Co. is so short-staffed, the restaurant and taproom had to close on a recent Saturday. Owner Mario Mastro says he lost about $6,000.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Mastro had 48 employees. Now, itâs 31. Typically, he needs five to six servers, but these days the restaurant is running with three on some nights â and business is booming as COVID-19 restrictions have eased.
Granite Falls Brewing is not alone. Businesses across many sectors are struggling to hire new employees, and the situation has gotten increasingly worse as business continues to grow.
Exactly why employers are struggling to hire employees is widely debated, but a common explanation is unemployment benefits, which have been bolstered and extended due to the pandemic.