May 30, 2021

30 bars, restaurants join forces to hold east side job fair

As restrictions are slowly lifted in Milwaukee, east side bars and restaurants are struggling to find enough workers. That is why east side improvement districts are holding a job fair Friday and Saturday at Casablanca on East Brady Street.

As restrictions are slowly lifted in Milwaukee, east side bars and restaurants are struggling to find enough workers.

MILWAUKEE —

As restrictions are slowly lifted in Milwaukee, east side bars and restaurants are struggling to find enough workers.

"There's not as many people applying as we're used to," Brewed Café owner Sheila Pufahl-Bettim said.

Brewed Café on East Brady Street has half its usual staff and could use some help.

That is why east side improvement districts are holding a job fair Friday and Saturday at Casablanca on East Brady Street.

"People were just really short on jobs, and they wanted to open up and be able to start doing some real business, but they just didn't have the staff to be able to get it done," Brady Street BID Executive Director Rachel Taylor said.

It's not just East Brady Street.

The event will also have bars and restaurants from North Avenue and Downer Avenue.

"What better way in their time of need than to come together with a job fair?" East Side and Downer Avenue BID Executive Director Liz Brodek said.

In total, there will be more than 30 businesses represented.

"Door people to wait staff to line cooks, to administrative assistants and things like that. There's a wide variety of needs people have coming out of this," Brodek said.

Brewed Café is participating even though the owner can't physically be there.

"Because we don't have enough staff to send to the event," Pufahl-Bettim said.

But they'll have applications available.

"They're welcome to come in, see what's available to them, take applications, talk to people," Taylor said.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Casablanca on Friday and Saturday.

Applications for all will be available on-site, and applicants should come ready to talk with a company representative.

See the full story from WISN 12 here.