COVID pandemic shutdowns have been hard on Hamilton’s small businesses, but a restaurant in Hess Village has suffered another setback.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Electric Diner on George Street said all four heaters for their outdoor patio were stolen, leaving them with an unheated tent during the coldest nights of the year while indoor dining is shut down.
Co-owner Erika Puckering told Global News that she got the call about the thefts from the opening manager on Wednesday morning.
“To be honest, I broke down in tears and had a really hard time with it,” she said. “Every closure, every pivot we’ve made, I’ve tried to keep my head on my shoulders and said, ‘OK, let’s go the next round. We got this. We’re going to keep going. We’re not going to give up.'”
“And today just knocked the wind out of me, because it was something I couldn’t control.”
Puckering said the city’s outdoor dining program, introduced in 2020, has “basically saved the business” throughout the pandemic and amid reoccurring restrictions on indoor dining.
“It allowed us to actually give all of our staff hours completely back. You know, we had no idea it was going to work this well. And it’s basically saved all of our employees’ income and has generated enough to cover all of the bills.”
Other businesses in Hess Village have shared surveillance footage of the theft in progress with Puckering and her team, and she said they’ve contacted Hamilton police but are waiting to hear back.
In an email Thursday morning, a media relations spokesperson for Hamilton police confirmed that Electric Diner has reached out to them about the theft.
“At this time I can confirm that the Electric Diner has contacted police and we will be looking into the incident,” wrote Const. Indy Bharaj.
The theft comes ahead of the Ontario government teasing a “good announcement” for restaurants and gyms, potentially hinting that restrictions in those settings may be lifted in the coming days.
Even with the easing of restrictions, Puckering said the outdoor patio is much more beneficial for their business.
“Our space inside is small enough as it is, so this outdoor dining area that we created, honestly … it’s going to be the thing that saves us. So we need it back.”
A GoFundMe has been launched by Andiamo, the business next door to Electric Diner, with the goal of raising $12,000 to replace what was stolen.
As of Thursday morning, the fundraising campaign had met its goal.
Puckering also said Collective Arts Brewing has dropped off some heaters to temporarily aid her restaurant and hopefully hold onto some reservations so the restaurant doesn’t lose out on all the revenue they would normally make through in-person dining.
She added that she’s grateful for the support that Electric Diner has received since speaking out about the incident.
“Hamilton is just so supportive of each other, especially small businesses. I know that we’ll have a decrease in what we have in reservations for this week, but I know that still, some people will come out because that’s how great everybody is.”
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