The restaurant industry lost about $25 billion in sales and more than 3 million jobs in the first 22 days of March. That number continues to rise and iconic restaurants like The Galley in Santa Monica, which opened in 1934, have been forced to close until further notice.
Ron Schur, who goes by Captain Ron, has been the owner of The Galley since 1989. It’s the oldest restaurant & bar in West Los Angeles and is packed with regulars on a daily basis, along with the other restaurants on the usually vibrant Main Street in Santa Monica.
“When one restaurant does well, they all do well,” Captain Ron said. “It becomes a destination street.”
On March 15, this destination street became a barren road. Governor Gavin Newsom ordered bars, pubs, and nightclubs to close. For The Galley, this meant a complete stop to business until further notice. The restaurant even stopped pick-up orders.
“We are not set up for pick-up,” Captain Ron said. “And I didn’t feel it was right to expose people… It’s just not worth it. It wouldn’t be monetarily effective and I don’t know how many people would want to work.”
After the news broke, Captain Ron invited the staff and their families to the restaurant for a final steak dinner, hoping to lift their spirits. But for Captain Ron, it felt like a wake that he never expected.
“The Galley is a special place,” Captain Ron said. “It’s a really good place to work. Like I said I have people who have been with me for 30 years and they consider it home.”
In the 30 years Captain Ron has owned The Galley, he said he’s never experienced anything like this. Even during the 2008 recession, Captain Ron said business was steady.
Despite uncertainty about when restaurants in Los Angeles will reopen, Captain Ron is optimistic that business at The Galley will be back to normal sooner than later.
“There is that social factor,” Captain Ron said. “People do want to get together and they want to see each other at the bar. And we have so many regulars at The Galley that miss each other. I think business will get back to normal...hopefully. I am thinking positively.”
As soon as The Galley reopens, Captain Ron said he’ll be there with his crew, ready to host more 1934 nights, family celebrations, birthdays, and the classic nights on the town.
“I tell everybody, Kellie… we are not the restaurant business, we are the be-back business,” Captain Ron said. “We try to get customers to come back. Just like your parents. And a lot of people say, ‘I don’t feel like eating out tonight, let’s go to The Galley.’ Because they consider it like home.”