DES MOINES, Iowa– Extreme heat and muggy conditions forced the owner of two of Des Moines’ best-known restaurants to make a difficult decision: close the doors to protect employees.
and his team is now looking into how long it would take, and how much it would cost, to upgrade the kitchen cooling systems at both establishments. For now, he said it may make more financial sense to absorb the loss from closing for a day or two each year rather than invest in a major overhaul.
Both Lua Brewing and Either/Or closed early on Sunday afternoon and remained that way on Monday after temperatures inside their kitchens climbed above 100 degrees, according to owner Scott Selix.
Selix said that asking employees to work in those conditions was not worth the risk and did not align with the company’s core mission.
“Standing over a fryer, standing over a griddle, standing over an oven- it gets over a hundred degrees in kitchens no matter what your air conditioning situation is,” he told WHO 13. “And so asking our staff to stand back there, it just felt unsafe.”
Selix said it is the first time he has ever shut down both restaurants because of the heat. While it was an easy decision regarding keeping his staff safe, it was also a difficult one financially.
“I don’t know what the word is, maybe frustrating, because we rely so heavily on warm season and patio to make our restaurant survive year-round,” he said. “We lose money in the Winter, and, so, to have days where you’re closed in the Summer is very frustrating.”
Selix said some restaurants may have more robust HVAC systems, and his team is now looking into how long it would take, and how much it would cost, to upgrade the kitchen cooling systems at both establishments. For now, he said it may make more financial sense to absorb the loss from closing for a day or two each year rather than invest in a major overhaul.
There is some good news: the brewery operation at Lua was not affected because the brewing tanks are cooled by a separate system. That means the award-winning beer will be fresh, cold and ready when the restaurants reopen on Tuesday.
Earlier this year, Lua Brewing was named the nation’s No. 1 Microbrewery and Restaurant in the USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards for the second year in a row.
Suggest a Correction
Close Modal
Suggest a Correction
Dining and Cooking