Goody’s Ice Cream, Pacific Pizza and Brew, and Jacksons Corner are only a few of the iconic Bend eateries up for sale.
An increasing number of local restaurant owners say it’s becoming more challenging to keep the doors open in the current environment.
“When you go to the grocery store and when you go out to dinner, you see the increase in prices. The restaurant owners are seeing that as well,” Bend Chamber CEO Katy Brooks said.
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Breakfast fan favorite Victorian Café hasn’t given in yet, but owner John Nolan says that may not last forever.
“My prices have stayed consistent,” he said. “My profits have just diminished and even gone into the negative in areas.”
Nolan has been the owner for 21 years. Each local restaurant he sees pack up shop sparks an internal battle of whether the time is right to follow suit.
“Part of me looks at them and goes is jealous because I think the pain ends when you walk,” he said.
The biggest reason “The Vic” stays off the market is the 65 paychecks Nolan feels a duty to fulfill.
“I’ve had a couple of moments where I’m like, maybe I’ll sell this or that,” Nolan said. “Then I go in and see my employees that have been with me for years… I don’t want to let them down by quitting or bailing out.”
“I just think that there’s a better way that I can maybe do this.”
Brooks believes the local base keeps many of Bend’s favorites afloat.
“There’s a lot of support in the community,” she said. “I think it’s just a lot of other factors that weigh on restaurant owners.”
