NEW BEDFORD – As Cisco New Bedford nears its “most anticipated” opening on Memorial Day, the owner says the company is pulling out all the stops to hire 164 team members.
“We probably have about 50% of our needs,” said the owner Stephen Silverstein said. “But it was a 24/7 fight to get people. It was difficult to fill our rosters anywhere. “
Silverstein, founder of Not Your Average Joes Restaurants and owner of The black whalecalls his new company “An entertainment complex” and the “largest venue in the south coast”.
The building is located at 1480 Rodney French Boulevard in the former Davy’s Locker / The Edge and has been under construction since April 2019.
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Partnership with Jay Harman from Cisco Brewers In Nantucket, the three-acre entertainment center will have a brewery, distillery, winery, 300-seat restaurant, outdoor grill, raw food bar, clam shack, outdoor kids’ area, fire pit, five harbor bars, moorings and a dock for arriving customers bid by boat and an open-air stage with live music daily from 3pm to 10pm
In May 2020, the opening was delayed due to COVID-19.
“There was no loss of enthusiasm or excitement,” Silverstein said in one 2020 interview with the Standard Times. “This has always been a long-term project anyway, it is not the end of the world that it will take another year.” Silverstein confirms it’s on its way to the opening of Memorial Day.
A massive job hunt
Last week Cisco New Bedford posted vacancies for chefs, managers, park attendants and restaurant professionals. On Saturday, April 17th, an interview process called the “job fair” took place. Silverstein said there will be another on May 1st.
“The American workforce, and certainly the restaurant industry, are trying to recruit new employees. But there just aren’t enough workers out there. “
Silverstein says that while he knows what the government had to do to help Americans through the COVID-19 pandemic, he believes this has now become “counterproductive” in getting people back to work . He never had to advertise for job vacancies.
“In the past we were able to find people we need. In this case, however, we had to look up and down with the help of advertising and employment agencies, ”said Silverstein.
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Separately, Silverstein said that even if they fail to meet the hiring goal, it won’t delay the scheduled opening. “This could affect the number of hours we are initially open. For example, we could be open from Wednesday to Sunday, ”he said. “We’ll get around it.”
On Thursday, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee announced plans to “phase out business restrictions and other mandates” by Memorial Day weekend. Silverstein is optimistic that Massachusetts will soon follow suit.
However, aside from Cisco New Bedford’s 6,000-square-foot restaurant, the venue is entirely off the beaten track. Guests are still required to wear masks and social distancing within six feet, but he expects them to be at full capacity.
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“I think it’s going to be amazing,” said Silverstein. “At 61, it’s kind of the high point of my life in the restaurant business and I just hope it comes out half as cool as I think it will.”
Individuals interested in applying for a job with Cisco New Bedford can contact jobs@ciscokitchenbar.com or visit their official Facebook site.