February 12, 2015 — Mother Nature is taking aim at Valentine’s Day.
After three weeks of storms battered the city, restaurateurs hoped the skies would clear Saturday and the annual celebration of love might resurrect business that had ground to a halt. Now, eateries fear another foot of snow forecast for the weekend could ruin one of the industry’s biggest nights of the year.
“It could be really bad for business,” said Ed Kane, whose restaurant group includes Red Lantern, Gem, Empire, and Scorpion Bar. “Valentine’s Day is clearly a huge day, and you never want to lose a Saturday. There’s no way to make it up.”
Mayor Martin J. Walsh deepened concerns Thursday when he called for a preemptive shutdown of the MBTA on Saturday and Sunday. The mayor said he expected to issue another snow emergency parking ban.
Many restaurant workers ride the subway to work and earlier failures forced establishments with not enough staff to shutter. Restaurants fear a parking ban will only make matters worse and further persuade diners to stay at home.
“It would be disaster, a complete disaster,” said William Kovel, the chef-owner of Catalyst in Cambridge of the potential MBTA closures. “Why would they do that? It’s really antibusiness.”
Restaurants are offering creative promotions and extending their Valentine’s Day deals to the days before and after the holiday to try to offset the prospect of significant losses.
Read the full story from the Boston Globe