New Braunfels businesses struggle to find workers while hopeful for coming boom
Competition for workers could extend beyond the pandemic
San Antonio Business Journal
As New Braunfels prepares for spring crowds and a potential summer tourism rush, some entrepreneurs are having to be more inventive in operating their businesses, while others are hopeful they can hire more workers in a very tight labor market. (SABJ)
SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s note: This story was published through a partnership between the San Antonio Business Journal and KSAT.
As New Braunfels prepares for spring crowds and a potential summer tourism rush, some entrepreneurs are having to be more inventive in operating their businesses, while others are hopeful they can hire more workers in a very tight labor market.
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“We’re adapting,” said Ron Snider, a New Braunfels entrepreneur who operates multiple businesses, including Krause’s, a large German-style beer garden and café. “We’re attracting servers from other venues at higher rates. We’ve adjusted to assisted service.”
Snider said midsize businesses in New Braunfels appear more vulnerable, while owner-operators who are “doing it all themselves” are particularly challenged.
Steve Bhakta, who owns multiple hotels in New Braunfels, including the Best Western Inn & Suites, said what’s happening now is adding to labor challenges that were evident before the Covid-19 pandemic.