Despite Tough Times, Optimism Remains

Eatery Relies On Its Regulars

At its peak, Augie & Ray’s drive-in diner on Main Street employed 45 people as the restaurant found a niche serving nearby Pratt and Whitney workers.

But as Pratt’s presence has ebbed in recent years, so has Augie & Ray’s customer base. The restaurant, founded in 1946 as a road-side stand, now employs 11 workers.

“We are down to a skeleton crew,” said Ernie Hutt, an owner of the restaurant. “We’ve got a fan base that is in their third generation. We are in a tough spot because we are not nationally advertised and we are not a national chain. We really rely on word of mouth.”

But the encouraging news is that business has remained on par from last year. “It’s encouraging because many other restaurants are either out of business or are off drastically from a year ago,” he said.

Hutt said Augie & Ray’s has been through tough periods before. The spike in gas prices a few years ago also had a negative impact on business.

He said the restaurant has been able to keep its doors open because people still have a soft spot for fresh, homemade food.

“We specialize in freshness,” Hutt said.

Chamber Has Three-Year Plan

Ron Pugliese, who recently took over as the president of the East Harford Chamber of Commerce, sees signs of optimism on Main Street along Route 5.

“I do sense that there is a feeling that things are getting better,” Pugliese said. “There seems to be more foot traffic in the retail areas. Whether people are buying or not, they are at least thinking about it.”

Pugliese, who was the former president and CEO of the Connecticut Retail Merchants Association, is leading the chamber, which is housed at 1137 Main St., through its three-year strategic plan that aims to enhance member services and increase business partnerships.

He said membership at the nonprofit organization has shrunk through the downturn. Now he’s trying to rebuild enthusiasm.

“The enthusiasm of running a small chamber when you know members are struggling is difficult,” Pugliese said. “But East Hartford deserves a very active chamber and we hope to build one.”

Temp Agency Finds Demand Slow

One of Main Street’s newest tenants is Jobpro, a temporary staffing agency that moved to town in January.

Jennifer Beck, vice president of the company, said there is a large pool of temporary workers in the state because of all the layoffs that have gone on over the past two years.

Connecticut has lost over 100,000 jobs since 2008. At the same time, however, there are still not enough jobs available, even for people looking for temporary work.

“We don’t take as many applications because there are not enough jobs to offer,” Beck said.

Jobpro used to have three offices, including one in Glastonbury and Manchester, but the company consolidated its headquarters in East Hartford in January. Beck said the company has scaled back operations.

“We are trying to keep the staff as lean as possible,” Beck said.

Businesses that are hiring, however, are interested in temporary workers because of the vast uncertainty in the economy, Beck said. Brining on full-time employees is still seen as a risky investment for many companies.