FAIRFAX, Va. — If you’ve been to a restaurant in the DMV lately you may have noticed several of them have ‘Help Wanted’ signs hung out front.
It’s a problem across the country. Bars and restaurants have openings, but trouble filling them.
In Northern Virginia two towns have teamed up to try to solve that problem in an unconventional manner: a workforce program.
You can hear the construction work from Main Street in Fairfax as the live music bar Earp’s Ordinary gets ready to open this fall.
Owner Michael Demarco oversees the final punch-outs. He envisions the spot as a 300-seat bar and live music venue.
“It’s stressful that’s for sure,” DeMarco smiled. “But, now that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel it’s exciting!”
One of the unforeseen stresses, DeMarco said, has been finding people to work there when it opens.
“It’s a challenge in the industry right now, with hiring back of house and front of house,” he explained.
In this way Earp’s Ordinary is-pardon the pun- quite ‘ordinary.’
Across the country and Northern Virginia, restaurants have openings, but not many workers.
“We are aiming to develop a program that would support restaurants in the way that they need it,” Tara Borwey, from the City of Fairfax’s Economic Development team said.
She said the city and nearby town of Vienna have joined together to try and solve the problem.
Combined they will create a workforce development program to get workers ready to work in a restaurant.
“A place for bars and restaurants to hire back of house, front of house, whatever they may need,” she said.
At this point the program is in the exploratory stage-restaurants have given feedback on surveys and in meetings about what they would like to see the program look like.
In the meantime, Earp’s Ordinary is just a few weeks away from opening. There are still holes to fill in the kitchen and the bar.
“Our executive chef is doing the hiring, we probably need 20-25 people,” DeMarco said.