Before you even walk through the door of El Capitan's, you get a sense of the quirky atmosphere. Colorful string lights line the large bay-facing windows. The smell of fries and the sound of ‘80s rock drifts out the open door. Once inside, you will be greeted with plastic skeletons, a “Pirates of the Caribbean” pinball machine and the bar’s own Jack Sparrow figurine.
If you frequent downtown Bellingham at all, chances are you're familiar with the vibrant pirate-themed sausage restaurant.
Unfortunately, the slow season is hitting particularly hard this year, Marc Ravaris, owner of El Capitan's, said.
The cold, grey days of Pacific Northwest winters are in full swing, and for many people, this means going out less. For local businesses, this means that the slow season is here.
“I specifically chose Bellingham so that I could become a part of the community,” Ravaris said.
Ravaris hopes to spread the message that to keep the community alive, people need to go out and participate in it whenever they can.
Ravaris isn’t the only one experiencing a downturn in business.
Bayly Peterson, owner of AB Crepes and Otherside Bagel Co., said it’s not exactly a new issue. It happens every year from late December to about mid-February. It’s something Peterson has learned to anticipate and tries to prepare his staff for.
“Everybody knows that they might get 80 to 90% of the hours they want,” Peterson said. Peterson feels that the cut in hours isn't ideal, but it's better to cut back a little and keep the shop running.
AB Crepes is on Railroad Avenue, nestled between other Bellingham classics such as Mallard Ice Cream, Fiamma Burger and Bagelry. In the summer, the small restaurant often has a line out the door. Busy staff bustle through the small open kitchen as the smell of fresh crepes drifts down the street.
But in the winter, it’s rare to find the restaurant packed.
To combat this dip in business, Peterson tries to keep AB Crepes as involved in the community as possible. They often participate in fundraisers with clubs and nonprofits to keep community engagement up and people coming into the shop.
“It's not like we're making money, but it's more so just getting people in the seats and trying to, you know, keep the narrative of crepes going,” Peterson said.
To Peterson, the “narrative of crepes” means keeping crepes on the brain for customers, even if only to support other Bellingham causes. It keeps business up and AB Crepes involved with the public.
Ravaris feels that business has never really gone back to usual post-COVID-19. In many ways, people are just less incentivized to go hang out and get a bite to eat, Ravaris said.
“I hate to bring this tired old dead horse up, but collectively, we still have not fully reached any type of equilibrium post-Covid,” Ravaris said.
Peterson associates this slow season with New Year's resolutions that seem to push people to give up on sweet treats like crepes.
“Everybody seems to give up on carbs to a degree after the new year, so we have to endure that,” Peterson said.
Both Peterson and Ravaris touched on the increasing cost of supplies, the absence of college students over winter break and Bellingham’s bleak winter weather as other contributing factors during the slow months.
In terms of prices, it's not an easy balance between remaining affordable, paying the bills and giving staff a livable wage.
“I just hope that a large amount of the population understands it, and they would choose to shop locally versus large, large corporate chains,” Peterson said.
Eric Grimstead, a Bellingham small business advisor, offered insight into the small business experience.
“So in the slower winter seasons of restaurants, you might look at things like becoming more promotional in your advertising or marketing to try and get your core customers to come back more often,” Grimstead said.
Grimstead said that the biggest struggle he sees small businesses facing is finding and retaining a solid workforce, especially in a college town, where employees are often coming and going.
When a business is reliant on student workers and student customers who are gone over winter break, a deficiency in the workforce and customers is created. Grimstead said this is not the only cause of the slow season in Bellingham but is a theme he has noticed.
For Peterson, this is reflected in AB Crepes’ community partnerships, such as fundraisers.
At El Capitan's, Ravaris has focused on bringing in local musicians in hopes of attracting customers with live music and a space for people to hang out with friends.
We can’t change the weather or the cost of goods, but we can keep ourselves engaged in our local sphere whenever possible. For those looking to help keep their favorite quirky restaurants alive, do what you can to get out whenever you can.
Mary d'Arcy (She/Her) is an opinion writer for The Front this quarter. She is a Junior majoring in journalism public relations. In her free time she competes on the Western sailing team. You can reach her at marydarcy.thefront@gmail.com
