Coronavirus Has Created 40 Percent National Unemployment Within Hospitality Sector

A study by the U.S. Travel Association reports the hospitality and leisure industries have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. That sector — which includes restaurants, bars, clubs, hotels, and cafes — endured over one-third of all job losses in the United States, even though it comprises just 11 percent of the country’s workforce.

The report also shows how U.S.’s entire hospitality industry lost half of all jobs in March and April, while hiring slowed from 2 million new jobs in June to 600,000 new jobs by mid-summer. In early July, Los Angeles city controller Ron Galperin released his own jobs study illustrating how LA’s food service industry netted the most losses, shedding 75,000 jobs.

In other news:

• Alta Adams’ new wine shop is open for business, right next to Adams Coffee Shop and open Thursdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Former wine director for SF’s Coi Ruben Morancy curated the bottle selection, placing extra emphasis on African-American and women winemakers. Coi will also be popping up at that location for lunch in the near future.
• TimeOut LA featured an op-ed by chef Brandon Gray, who calls for racial awareness and societal change. Gray is the man behind the pizza pop-up Brandoni Pepperoni.
• Downtown bar and restaurant ERB (short for Everson Royce Bar) is reopening tonight at 5 p.m. for burgers and drinks out on the back patio. Expect all the usual COVID-19 protocols to be in place, and know that it’s reservation only for now.

• LAist addresses the following pandemic-related topic: what’s the future of playing board games while sipping beer and cocktails at a bar?
• The Long Beach Post reports the 11-year-old Belmont Shore favorite Thai Gourmet will close permanently on August 25.
• ABC-7 interviewed SoCal winery and brewery owners, who are begging for fairness around California’s reopening policies.
• In case a scoop or pint isn’t enough for this weekend’s heatwave, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream will deliver a three-gallon bucket of ice cream to your door along with waffle wedges, spoons, and napkins for cleanup.

Courtesy of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream

• LA Restaurants and Hotels Shed Over 75K Jobs in March and April, With Overall Unemployment at 20 Percent [ELA]