• Country Kitchen Has Closed

I was out getting the oil in my car changed yesterday morning (yes, that's still allowed) at Mountain View Tire (they were quite helpful) and while waiting I walked around Wildomar Square.

File photo from September 2017, shortly before they opened.

I know that restaurants are not open for regular service during these volunteer self isolation days, but many are still offering take out. When I got closer to Country Kitchen, looking for a poster with how they're dealing with our current reality, something looked off to me.

It wasn't quite a ghost town in there. I mean, how many ghosts leave pop bottles and Windex out?

It looked like they'd packed their stuff up and hightailed it out of town, but I wanted to get confirmation so I messaged a trusted source and put it this way, "Have you heard if Country Kitchen is remodeling?"

The response came back quickly, "Their Facebook page said closed for a bit."

Link to facebook page.

But it was obvious from looking in through the windows that it wasn't temporary. Plus, why would a new business remodel that soon after opening? They wouldn't.

Trying to block out the reflection as I looked through the window. A nice hole was cut into to the wall. Who knows, maybe they wanted one of those kitchens where you could watch the cooks prepare your meals? Or, maybe it made it easier to remove equipment?

I can't tell you why they're gone, they just are. 

What I can tell you is that I tried eating there half a dozen times, and though the staff was always friendly and attentive, the food was very lackluster and priced higher than the competition by at least half again. (Though I did see breakfast specials quite recently that had very competitive prices... seems too little, too late.) 

It always seemed to be mostly empty when I went, or even drove by. Let's hope the next occupant has better success.

I wonder if they're coming back for that ladder?

Wildomar Rap opinion time

I don't want to be Mr. Wet Blanket here, but I'm not much good at being a Pollyanna. I think a lot of restaurants were going to struggle even before the CV19 pall that's been dragging us down for the last month.

They're all facing increased wages as the minimum wage continues its climb to $15 an hour. Set to happen by 2022 to 2023. Not to mention more and more state regulations. Sorry, but with every regulation, no matter how noble it is, comes with a sizable price tag for the business owner. 

Increased costs are going to have to come out of somewhere, and you can only raise the price of meals so much before people start doing the math and realize that they can make their own eggs, toast and coffee for about 75¢ and not have to leave a tip on top of it. A savings of about $15 per person. 

Now toss in Covid19 and all the fallout that is sure to hit us as businesses are forced to remain closed (or not open as originally intended) and we have the makings of a fiscal bloodbath. I hope not, but it's beginning to look quite grim.

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If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. 
– Albert Einstein

Wildomar Rap is often overly wordy... [insert wide eyed gulp here]

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