Several restauranteurs in the Jackson area say that they are desperately in need of business because the water crisis has deterred customers from visiting. While most report low revenue, some locations entered the weekend not knowing if it will be their last. John Tierre is the owner of Johnny T’s Bistro and Blues. He says restaurants are used to the boil water notices in the city.
“Things have been tough. Not only dealing with the water crisis, but compounded with dealing with the labor shortage, rising food costs, it’s a tough time for restaurants in the City of Jackson,” says Tierre. “It requires us to start service hours early just to boil enough water to be able to wash dishes and things of that nature. So these are tough times, but I’m confident that we will come out of this situation better than before.”
Tierre’s restaurant is one of several that Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann visited over the weekend inviting the public to promote local business. Hosemann says he has heard from many struggling business owners and hopes that promoting local restaurants can help them until water quality is restored in the city.
At the Manship Woodfire Kitchen, co-founder Steven O’Neill says business was extremely slow last week.
“We’ve been a part of the community, we’ve been a part of the fabric before COVID and through all the things. It really is a call to action right now for y’all to come back out and support us because we’re in dire need,” says ONeill. “What we want people to know is that it’s safe, it’s clean. Come out to dine with us. Keep our Jackson restaurants open because we want to be here for the next 10 years.”
State officials say there have been several major improvements at the O.B. Curtis water treatment plant, but it could still take several days or weeks before the boil notice is lifted.
