Three DFW eateries are set to close and the forecast looks even more grim.
SideDish's Nancy Nichols has been doing the phone rounds...and what she sees is grim. In this post at D Magazine's SideDish blog, she claims her sources have suggested at least 5 locally owned restaurants may close by the end of the year.
That number may or may not include the already announced closings around DFW, including Swirll Winery, Another Byte, and Tio's Tortas.
Swirll Winery's reason is pretty clear: "We ran out of money," co-owner Peggy Davion told Pegasus News' Teresa Gubbins.
It's the same story at most of these other locations; food costs rise, payrolls rise, but the profits are falling due to the economy.
Nancy Nichols thinks it's time for DFW diners to get out to support these local eateries, even though "we're all suffering from severe no-money-itis."
Though we agree with her, it's a huge Catch 22; folks often don't have the extra cash to spend on an expensive dinner, but these businesses can't easily cut costs on ingredients or staff. By the time the full force of the economic downturn is felt in DFW, there could be far more closures announced -- something no chef, and no foodie, wants to hear.
Update: Dave Faries of the Dallas Observer counters an argument that critics' impact with "non-nice" reviews should back off during the economic crisis. Here's his take on the matter.
