Coronavirus: Dining fixture on Brockville’s waterfront closing, owner says

It’s been a fixture on Brockville’s waterfront for three decades, but the owner says his business can’t survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

John Ackerman, the owner of “Buds on the Bay” restaurant and bar, says it was a difficult decision “not” to reopen. The announcement comes almost 30 years to the day that it opened.

“Sort of a quiet winter and the COVID was just the final nail in the coffin,” Ackerman said. “We were going to miss the summer — in past years I need the summer to get us through the winter — and that wasn’t going to happen this year with limited seating.”

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Ackerman has been at Buds on the Bay since the very beginning, from manager to owner. He says people don’t realize how expensive such a venture is and especially during these times.

“As the mayor said, ‘Buds closing is sort of a wake-up call for Brockville’, to quote him,” Ackerman said.

“It’s an alarm bell and people need to support, no matter what city you’re in, support your independent restaurant, support your mom and pop shops, the chains will survive, they’ve got the big pockets but us independents, it’s tough with COVID.”

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Ackerman says he’s been overwhelmed by the amount of support on social media and is forever grateful to the customers and countless loyal employees who helped to make Buds what it was.