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Food Farewells


 

Duchess, the adorable little sandwich shop with milkshakes, has closed. For me it was one of those places that I always meant to get to. Someday.

Alas.

The last several weeks have brought other closings: Bippy’s Pub, R & R Tacqueria, Chicken & Whiskey, Bennie’s Pizza, Today’s Catch. 

Is it a trend? Or does each place have its own unique reasons? I’d be more inclined towards the latter. 

Sometimes folks have worked a very, very long time and there is no one to continue the business once they have retired. Food service is grueling work. Not everyone wants to take it on.

There are a few other reasons that we may be seeing restaurants and other food related businesses closing in Howard County in the coming months.

  • Supply chain issues
  • Increased food costs
  • A loss of workers due to ICE fears
  • Decreased business due to job loss in the community 
Those reasons are all completely avoidable. None of those things needed to happen. 

I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve seen people mock leadership in Howard County for taking positions on things that happen in Washington. 

That’s not your job. Nobody wants to hear what you think. What happens in Washington has nothing to do with Howard County.

Guess what? The next time you go to your favorite restaurant, only to see that it has closed, think on this:

We don’t exist in some safe little silo. Things that happen in Washington absolutely do matter here. Leaders who are able to assess the big picture are smarter than you think. 

If you can, go to that place you’ve always been meaning to go. Then, at the very least, you won’t have that regret that I’m feeling today about Duchess. 




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