Is it just my imagination, or does a new eatery fire up a grill every other week somewhere in this little patch of paradise? From all appearances, Squamish is becoming a foodie Shangri-La. But aspiring restaurateurs should acquaint themselves with the associated pitfalls.
New dining establishments usually follow a familiar trajectory. In the beginning, patrons are filled with a warm glow as they glance at the culinary catnip on the menu. The service is exemplary, the prices are reasonable, the décor is spiffy, and the TripAdvisor reviews are off the charts. What could go wrong? Plenty, if history is a gauge.
The four horsemen of the gastronomic apocalypse are a lack of due diligence, complacency, carelessness, and hubris. The latter concept, defined as overconfidence, bordering on arrogance, is a major deal breaker. It is best exemplified by Macbeth, whose life unravels in Shakespeare’s eponymous play. Any high school grad worth her or his diploma will recall the following sentiments uttered by the tragic wannabe monarch: “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other.”
Countless hubris afflicted figures have cluttered the historical stage, and dare we say, the current occupant of the White House may be a prime example of that frame of mind.
Over the past decade, the restaurant malfunction rate in town has registered somewhere in the vicinity of 50 per cent and possibly beyond.
More than a few proprietors, puffed by sudden success, got a tad too cocky and self-absorbed. A couple of years down the road finding staff became an issue, and the level of service took a nose dive. Food quality and preparation flagged and competitors started eating into market share.
Some operations have avoided the fourfold equine peril and discovered the elusive formula for success. The Watershed Grill, Chef Big D’s, the Wigan Pier, Mag’s 99, Sushi Sen, and Essence of India, are in that league. Many others have failed to gain traction. The previously revolving door of eateries at the Sea to Sky Hotel comes to mind. In less than a decade, a bevy of establishments occupied that location.
But that was then, and this is now.
The prevailing conditions may be different these days.
The push to urban densification and the resulting population influx, coupled with a younger demographic and the proliferation of two-income households have become the jet fuel of the high-flying Squamish restaurant sector. And many residents who are saddled with long commutes to work are inclined to spend fewer hours preparing meals. All those factors are likely to offer recent start-ups a better chance of survival in a highly competitive marketplace. Still, no matter how rosy the picture looks, anybody who wants to get into the bistro business should understand that success is never guaranteed in the Shining Valley.
