Lots of work downtown, new jobs bank suggests
DWBIA website has more than 50 postings after one week online
To survive a global pandemic and its massive hit on the hospitality sector, The Cook's Shop, a stalwart member of downtown Windsor's restaurant community, had to think outside the box.
Known for its intimate indoor dining experience, but forced to close its doors as part of the community response to slow the spread of COVID-19, it decided to start sending its prepared meals off-site.
“We had to pivot, so for the first time in 40 years we did takeout,” said owner Spencer Dawson. “We had a great response — it helped us survive.”
Something else The Cook's Shop is just starting to try after 40 years in operation is outdoor patio dining at its 683 Ouellette Ave. location.
It means Dawson's business didn't just survive the worst public health crisis in 100 years, but it might end up growing beyond where it had been before the coronavirus.
The challenge now, however, is finding additional staff to make it work.
As the economy begins to reemerge from its long, dark pandemic pause, downtown Windsor's business community wants to make sure it catches plenty of attention from, and gets its share of, returning workers.
The Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association has launched an online job bank to link its members seeking employees with those either seeking work or new work possibilities.
“We're giving businesses the opportunity to reach out directly,” said DWBIA chair Brian Yeomans. “It could be people living downtown or working downtown and looking for something different.”
Started just a week ago, there were 55 job postings from dozens of local employers as of Thursday, covering a wide range of sought-after skills, talents and abilities. Positions range from cooks and dishwashers, chefs and servers, strip club and night club security to software and web developers, receptionists and sales positions. Among larger employers, there are listings for downtown openings with Rock Ventures, the City of Windsor, Windsor Police Service, St. Clair College and Caesars Windsor.
Sweet Tooth Ice Cream Shop was seeking an “ice cream barista,” while the Zekelman School of Business and Information Technology is on the hunt for instructors and several financial firms are looking for managers and other staff.
The DWBIA and the city have been eagerly working on programs and efforts aimed at getting more people interested in living, working and frequenting the downtown. Yeomans said his organization is partnering with others, including Workforce Windsoressex, to target and urge urban job seekers to focus their searches on employment openings in the core.
One of the things that triggered this latest initiative was a recent conversation Yeomans said he had with a downtown restaurant owner who was hampered in reopening due to a shortage of needed kitchen staff.
Dawson said he's been facing the same challenge. With the gradual reopening of the economy, “it's very difficult — everyone is looking to expand, both inside and outside — it's hard to find talent.”
After The Cook's Shop began advertising on the DWBIA'S free (for job seekers and employers) and easy-to-navigate jobs bank, Dawson said he received “many applications.” He's looking for four to six servers and cooks. The Downtown Windsor Job Bank portal permits applicants to send their resumes directly and privately to the employer.
As in other towns and cities beginning their recoveries, Yeomans said parts of Windsor's hospitality sector are struggling to fill vacancies in order to properly resume operations.
“It's shocking to me that restaurants that want to reopen are saying, `But we don't have enough kitchen staff,' ” he said.
Yeomans, who spent years in bars and restaurants — including a decade as a Koko Pellie's bartender — before getting into hotel sales management, said the hospitality sector “is a great industry; the people are amazing.”
He said he developed personal relationships with co-workers and customers that have lasted decades. Bartending, serving patrons and working in the kitchen, said Yeomans, are all jobs that can provide good earnings.
“The key is, you gotta like people.”
For those who like jobs, downtown Windsor now has a whole bank of them to draw from.
“In recognition of the fact there's a great talent pool in the region, as well as great employers downtown, we wanted to be able to provide a tool that would easily connect those groups together,” said Yeomans.