Heartbreaking
March 15 was a turning point for restaurateurs across the city, including The Fours’ general manager, Jim Taggart. He has been running the place for 15 years. But now The Fours is closed for dine-in service, like all restaurants in Massachusetts after a decree from Gov. Charlie Baker in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This has led to mass layoffs in the restaurant industry. To stay afloat, restaurants are trying to make takeout and delivery work, even if it’s not a part of their standard business model.
“We tried that for the first week, but it really didn’t work for us,” Taggart said, although the other locations of The Fours in Quincy and Norwell are doing takeout and delivery.
For The Fours, prime business comes before and after events at the Garden.
“In that area, all the restaurants and bars live and die by the cycle of the Garden,” Taggart said. “So anything going on at the Garden brings business. We were fortunate that we had a really good lunch business for a lot of years and a weekend business, as a lot of government agencies used to be located in that area of Boston because the rent was cheaper. So we had a pretty thriving lunch business. But of course, that has all come to an abrupt end.”
The Fours can’t really rely on local residents’ takeout, either; the neighborhood is rapidly being redeveloped into a luxury housing area, and the population hasn’t quite moved in yet to sufficiently carry the business.
“That area where the Garden is really isn’t a neighborhood yet,” Taggart said. “There aren’t a lot of people living in the neighborhood, and businesses, as they closed down, there are less and less people there. We tried because we wanted to keep the kitchen guys working, but it just wasn’t working out.”
So when the NBA and NHL seasons suddenly came to a halt, their customers literally disappeared overnight. The shutdown came just ahead of expected prime business during Bruins and Celtics playoffs runs, typically the best period The Fours has all year.
“We’re closed right now, so there’s about 70 people who are not employed. It’s a big deal,” Taggart said. “Opposite of most restaurant businesses that are busy all summer long and quieter in the winter, this is our season.”
March 15 was a turning point for restaurateurs across the city, including The Fours’ general manager, Jim Taggart. He has been running the place for 15 years. But now The Fours is closed for dine-in service, like all restaurants in Massachusetts after a decree from Gov. Charlie Baker in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This has led to mass layoffs in the restaurant industry. To stay afloat, restaurants are trying to make takeout and delivery work, even if it’s not a part of their standard business model.
“We tried that for the first week, but it really didn’t work for us,” Taggart said, although the other locations of The Fours in Quincy and Norwell are doing takeout and delivery.
For The Fours, prime business comes before and after events at the Garden.
“In that area, all the restaurants and bars live and die by the cycle of the Garden,” Taggart said. “So anything going on at the Garden brings business. We were fortunate that we had a really good lunch business for a lot of years and a weekend business, as a lot of government agencies used to be located in that area of Boston because the rent was cheaper. So we had a pretty thriving lunch business. But of course, that has all come to an abrupt end.”
The Fours can’t really rely on local residents’ takeout, either; the neighborhood is rapidly being redeveloped into a luxury housing area, and the population hasn’t quite moved in yet to sufficiently carry the business.
“That area where the Garden is really isn’t a neighborhood yet,” Taggart said. “There aren’t a lot of people living in the neighborhood, and businesses, as they closed down, there are less and less people there. We tried because we wanted to keep the kitchen guys working, but it just wasn’t working out.”
So when the NBA and NHL seasons suddenly came to a halt, their customers literally disappeared overnight. The shutdown came just ahead of expected prime business during Bruins and Celtics playoffs runs, typically the best period The Fours has all year.
“We’re closed right now, so there’s about 70 people who are not employed. It’s a big deal,” Taggart said. “Opposite of most restaurant businesses that are busy all summer long and quieter in the winter, this is our season.”