I work with a lot of restaurants and know even more restaurant owners.
asserted
I → work → owners
I told them if they survived COVID, they were going to be in great shape, since many others closed and they would be making lots of money.
asserted
they → tell → money
They are closing in great numbers, thanks to bad governance by the city and the state.
asserted
They → close → city
I had extensive discussions with Boneyard’s founder and proprietor, Aaron Robins.
asserted
I → have → founder
He just closed Boneyard after 21 years
asserted
He → close → years
The restaurant was not only his livelihood, but also where he and his family spent their time and built a community.
asserted
he → spend → community
Many of his customers had become family, including the Bialoskys.
asserted
Many → become → Bialoskys
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asserted
Sign → sign → California
After enduring the COVID lockdowns, Boneyard was soon bushwhacked by the writers’ strike.
asserted
Boneyard → endure → strike
Unlike with COVID, business never really bounced back post-strike as the “business of the city” — making movies and TV shows — has never bounced back.
asserted
business → bounce → movies
Film industry regulars are moving away, with the city doing little to fight to keep its major industry here.
asserted
city → move → industry
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is attempting to make matters even worse by fighting Paramount’s merger with Warner Bros. The end result may be Paramount leaving the state for the more business-friendly environs of Nashville, Tennessee.
uncertain
Paramount → attempt → Nashville
Losing a customer base is not the only challenge Robins faced running his restaurant in LA.
asserted
Robins → lose → LA
Politicians keep raising the minimum wage.
asserted
Politicians → keep → wage
That not only drives up wages, but also increases related payroll taxes and workers’ compensation insurance, which is based on wages paid.
asserted
which → drive → wages
That just compounds the pain of workers’ comp insurance in California, which is already the fourth-highest in the nation.
asserted
which → compound → nation
Robins told me that what really drives wages is the fact there is no allowance for a lower wage rate for tipped employees in California.
asserted
drives → tell → California
Washington, DC, and 43 states allow for reduced wages for tipped employees.
asserted
Washington → allow → employees
Combine high-wage costs with higher rent, higher insurance costs, and higher utility costs, and it becomes difficult to keep menu prices down.
asserted
it → combine → prices
At Boneyard, that meant regular customers who would come for Aaron’s wonderful food selections were no longer coming once a week, but every other week instead.
asserted
who → mean → selections
Robins told me that LA didn’t seem to care about the challenges it had created for him.
asserted
it → tell → him
The city also approved street vendors to compete with established restaurants, while raising annual permit fees for brick-and-mortar restaurants by 30%.
asserted
city → approve → %
Faced with the need for significant improvements in his aging restaurant, Robins decided to call it quits.
asserted
Robins → face → it
What he was not prepared for was an outpouring of shock and community support with the announcement of the impending closure.
asserted
prepared → prepare → closure
People came in droves to get their last chance at Boneyard’s fabulous barbecue; the killer fried chicken Monday night; the Philly cheesesteak sandwich (better than any you can get in Philly); or the Aviator salad, Boneyard’s masterful take on a Caesar.
asserted
you → come → Caesar
People were posting reels on Instagram of family outings, showing how their kids grew up going to Boneyard.
asserted
kids → post → Boneyard
Friends swamped the bar area, taking their last chance to share Robins’ huge selection of specialty beers, while watching either the Dodgers or the beginning of football season.
asserted
Friends → swamp → season
We worked our way around the menu with Baby Back ribs, Aaron’s outstanding pizza, his fabulous onion rings, a burger for the beautiful wife and the famous Aviator.
asserted
We → work → wife
We finished with our daughter’s favorite, the banana crème brûlée.
asserted
We → finish → favorite
We spent time talking to the people who had taken care of us for so many years.
asserted
who → spend → years
Sam, the head chef; Brian and Becca, our favorite servers; and Octavio the everyman, who always made sure we had everything we needed.
asserted
we → make → everything
Everyone was taking pictures with the staff and Aaron, the proprietor and master chef.
asserted
Everyone → take → staff
Aaron said he is looking to open a new place outside of the city of LA.
asserted
he → say → LA
He believes LA acts like businesses are the enemy.
asserted
businesses → believe → ?
He is taking his immense culinary talents to someplace that will help him succeed.
asserted
him → take → someplace
LA’s elected officials don’t appear to understand how much a place like Boneyard Bistro enhances the life of a community.
asserted
place → elect → community
Boneyard was not just a place to have a fine meal; it was a place where families and friends gathered and shared good times.
asserted
families → have → times
Too many restaurants like this are closing in LA, driven out by an anti-business environment.
asserted
restaurants → close → environment
We will miss our Friday night place.
asserted
We → miss → place
And it doesn’t seem anything will replace it — not in LA, and not now.
asserted
anything → seem → LA
…and 1 more, not listed.
The Aporia
