‘LIFE RIGHT NOW IS A LOT OF PIVOTS’

Popular Rosebush diner adjusts to pandemic struggles

At the beginning of the COVID-19 emergency, Chris Bair wasn’t sure about the future of Roz’s Diner, the popular Rosebush restaurant on the corner of Old Mission and Rosebush roads.

At the time, he said he was leaning away from using delivery service, but he wasn’t sure. He and his wife Megan, Roz’s owners, were also in the middle of an expansion.

The expansion is now on hold, and Bair said he’s eyeing alternatives. At the same time, news of possible disruptions in food supply due to meat processing plants caused a spike in demand, requiring that he get more creative in finding ingredients.

“We do a lot of pivots,” he said. “Life right now is a lot of pivots.”

One of those was to a strictly curbside delivery model. The diner is open from 11-2 and 4-7 Mondays through Fridays. They have a full menu available and they offer nightly dinner specials. Bair said staying in touch with the restaurant through it’s Facebook page is the best way to find out what’s available.

People who want to order call it in and get a time that it’ll be ready. When they show up, their meal is taken out to them. Most nights, they sell out. That’s especially true on Friday nights, when they sell a one-pound pork chop.

On the financial side, Bair said the banks have been a big help in working and in some cases forgiving of some debt. In the short term, between that and the business they’re doing, they’re on sustainable footing.

In an atmosphere full of unknowns, Bair said that flexibility is critical right now.

The run on meat is just an example. Before President Trump ordered meat processing facilities to remain open, there were fears that the virus might cause disruptions to the supply of meat to grocery stores. Behind the headlines, restaurants were also scrambling for it.

“We’re pretty good at keeping ahead of shortages,” he said.

Bair’s had to get creative in where he gets food, and it’s sometimes strained his ability to meet demand. For instance, he had to put off a catering for Meijer employees because he couldn’t find chicken to make the 150 chicken chimis he needed.

When COVID-19 hit, the Bairs were working to expand their restaurant into a vacant building next to them. That’s on hold now, and Bair said he’s looking at taking the little extra he’s squirreling away after bills are paid and possibly investing it into a food truck.

“We’re always looking at all our options,” he said.

In an atmosphere full of unknowns, flexibility is critical right now.

...“We’re pretty good at keeping ahead of shortages.”

— Chris Bair, co-owner of Roz’s Diner

COURTESY PHOTO Roz’s Diner, 3995Rosebush Road, in Rosebush, isn’t doing delivery like a lot of other businesses right now, but switched purely to curbside delivery. Chris Bair, who owns the business with his wife Megan, said that between their customers and help they’ve gotten from financial institutions that in the short term they are in pretty good shape.