John West Wrote:
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> What has changed, the demand or the supply? Back
> in the old days finding a meal was never a problem
> although it changed over time. In the DRGW days I
> remember Kellys Cafe (where Vera startedd her
> restaurant career), Fosters, and up the highway
> the Elk Horn. Later on you had Vera's new place,
> Fosters, the Elk Horn, and the High Country. And
> then Veras closed after she passed away and the
> kids didn't want to run it, the High Country
> closed, the Elk Horn has been on again off again.
> I'm guessing the lack of help is the key, that a
> younger generation of locals has headed for the
> big city or at least found better jobs than
> waiting on tables. And of course the seasonality
> makes any tourist oriented business in Chama a
> challenge....the winters are awfully long but the
> bills keep coming.
>
> JBWX
Several years back, the restaurant help would move from one eatery to another. You would hear when the service was slow in the restaurants, the cook quit, the wait help moved to another restaurant or we couldn't keep help. Fina used to run the restaurant at the Branding Iron Motel. That place folded several years back and has never reopened. Fina opened her own place, Fina's. , Talked to the bartender and part owner of the High Country restaurant, a few years back. From conversations with him I determined you didn't want to run or own a restaurant in Chama. Your right, the main problem is help. When Vera moved from her original location to Viva Veras, with the up scale steak house on the side, it seemed like dining in Chama had made the big time. She passed and as you said nobody wanted to keep it going. As an aside, The food at Vera's old place was better than what was offered at the new Vera's. Maybe the restaurant at the Hotel and Shops will take up the slack.
High Commander
Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/2022 10:00AM by HAICH OMANDIER.