Newly opened restaurant Baba Cluck had to close a few days after opening in March. Now the Redcliff fried chicken and Ukrainian fare are back on the menu after reopening. (CHAT News photo).

By Alex McCuaig

Tough go for restaurants

Six of 10 restaurants are operating at a loss: Restaurants Canada survey

Jun 11, 2020 | 4:36 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The pictures of generations of family on the wall of Baba Cluck Comfort Eats in Redcliff say it all. It’s a family-owned establishment in which David and Lorelle Halderman employ comfort food recipes that have been passed down over generations.

But the opening of the restaurant was disjointed, having to close its doors shortly after first opening them in early March.

Baba Cluck is now open for business again.

“I hate to talk this to death about COVID but with COVID, there’s just no handbook,” said Lorelle. “I mean half of our business plan went down the drain with what happened with COVID. Our catering commitments alone – that was a big part of the revenue we were counting on.”

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Baba Cluck is far from alone from feeling the sting of the corornavirus bug which has left a welt on many businesses.

A survey released Thursday by industry group Restaurants Canada revealed 60 per cent of its members are currently operating at a loss.

The organization’s Western Canada vice-president Mark von Schellwitz says federal and provincial programs have helped offset losses but you can’t run a business on losses.

“What we’re hearing back from our members is it’s very tough – in an industry which is already competitive – to reopen under these restrictions. Because at 50 per cent capacity, it just does not make sense for them to do that,” said von Schellwitz.

At the best of times, restaurants operate on the thinnest of margins, added von Schellwitz.

These aren’t the best of times.

But he says there is some hope on the horizon as businesses and customers start to get back to a semblance of normalcy.

And Alberta is leading that trend.

“I think it’s safe to say Alberta is now probably the furthest ahead as any other province as far as reopening the economy and reopening our important industry,” said von Schellwitz, giving credit to the Alberta government for its relaunch strategy. “There are going to be some challenges remaining but I think Alberta, compared to other provinces, is certainly a step ahead.”

As for Baba Cluck, Lorelle is like many restauranteurs who dive into one of the toughest of tough small businesses.

This is her passion and she means to pursue it.

“This has always been my dream and I was at a point in my life and career where because of the support and hard work I get from my husband, it was easier now at this stage of our life to say let’s do it,” she said. “It’s now or never and then, of course, one week in, here comes COVID but we’re really not dwelling on that. You either just stick your head in the sand or just keep going.”

Baba Cluck is currently open and offering its specialty fried chicken and traditional Ukrainian fare on a modified schedule.