BUCKLAND — After surviving pandemic-induced business shutdowns and 14 winter seasons, owner Paul St. Martin has closed the West End Pub at the end of the Bridge of Flowers — at least for now.

St. Martin explained the restaurant closed in large part due to an inability to find labor, a problem that has plagued the industry across the country. The West End Pub survived for years on the consistent labor of three longtime employees. When these two cooks and one dishwasher — among the restaurant’s total seven staff members — decided they were burnt out, it put St. Martin in a difficult situation finding labor.

Down the street, Hearty Eats is facing the same problem, leading the business to issue a call for employees in a recent email newsletter. The National Restaurant Association estimates that about 90,000 restaurants have closed in 2020 and 2021.

“I don’t feel like a victim,” St. Martin said regarding the West End Pub’s closure. “I am not the only one right now.”

Before the pandemic, the West End Pub served lunch and dinner six days a week. After closing completely for four months, the business reopened with more limited hours. St. Martin was able to get the restaurant back to operating at full capacity until he could not find enough staff to keep the restaurant afloat.

On Oct. 22, St. Martin decided to shut down until he knows what will happen next. St. Martin said he has had tons of requests from community members to reopen, as well as offers to rent the property or buy the business.

However, St. Martin feels certain his time in the restaurant business is not fully over. He thinks he may have the ability to open a different project in the space this coming spring that is less “labor intensive,” or reopen when inflation and the labor market has calmed down. He is also open to the possibility of renting or selling the space, but he is unsure about the future.

He said he was given the advice to take the closing of the restaurant as a sign to retire, being 69 years old. But St. Martin said, “I still have a lot of energy,” and he is not ready to throw in the towel yet.

West End Pub originally opened 15 years ago. St. Martin had been living on Cape Cod, but disliked the seasonality of the region and decided to settle down where he was from in western Massachusetts. He first opened a cafe called Cafe Martin on the other side of the river, and when the location that is now the West End Pub went on sale, he took the leap.

In the restaurant’s heyday, St. Martin said he employed about 20 staff members and would fill the restaurant from noon until 9 p.m. with a consistent waiting list. Burgers made with local beef were the most popular item on the menu, with local suppliers providing most ingredients.

“My best memory is seeing the place booming,” he said. “I will miss the regulars.”

While St. Martin reflected on the business’ tenure, chairs remained stacked on tables inside the restaurant. Gift cards were getting scanned, giving cardholders refunds for their unused cards.

“I’m sad about the whole thing,” St. Martin said. “I love it here.”

Bella Levavi can be reached at blevavi@recorder.com or 413-930-4579.

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