By early afternoon on Tuesday, only two people had come into Pho 18 in Thorold to pick up food.
One was a former employee at the restaurant.
This wasn’t how Jenny Tran was envisioning the two-year anniversary of the town’s only Pho restaurant that she runs with her husband Andy.
“We are taking it day by day. Trying to keep our chin up. We feel good every time a customer calls,” said Jenny.
Opening the restaurant was a retirement plan after many years of work in the hospitality industry for the duo.
While business hasn’t been what the couple hoped for, a steady stream of Brock students make up a good part of the restaurants customer base.
But with the university shut down and the dorms empty, things aren't as usual.
On Tuesday, they would normally have had three servers, and two people working the kitchen, preparing the jumbo-sized pots of the 16-hour broth that makes up the base of the vietnamese signature dish.
Instead, it was just Jenny and Andy, and their two customers.
What the future holds is impossible to tell, and the time of the months when bills are due is just around the corner.
“I just hope this will not force us to shut down. We are just hanging on right now and want to thank those who come in, and to ask everyone to be safe and healthy.”
Wondering where else to get food locally?
Here is a list of some options.
Bezo’s Bar & Grill-4-10pm- Pick up- Front St. N, Downtown Thorold-289-362-3729- https://bezos-bar-and-grill.
Club Capri- Wednesday through Saturday 3-6pm- Pick-up-36 Cleveland St. Thorold-905 227-0121- https://clubcapri.ca/
Club C Event Centre-Pick up 2-6pm-1311 Egerter Rd. Thorold-905 384 9292- https://www.facebook.com/
Crackerjack’s Bar & Grill- Pick up or Delivery (FREE delivery on orders over $20) 905 680 5066- 207 Keefer Rd. Thorold. https://www.
Donnelly’s Irish Pub- Pick up (Delivery through Doordash) 905 227-1947-54 Front St.S Thorold. https://donnellyspub.com/
Johnny Rocco’s Italian Grill- Pick up or Delivery (FREE delivery on orders over $20) 905 680-9300- 271 Merritt St. St. Catharines. htt://www.johnnyroccos.com/
Mick & Angelo’s Kitchen & Bar- Pick up or Delivery from 12– 8pm- (FREE delivery on orders over $20) 905 357- 6543- 7600 Lundy’s Lane N. Falls. https://www.mickandangelos.
Riganelli’s Bakery- Open 7 days a week. Fresh bakery goods: breads, rolls baked fresh daily. Pastries, pizza, frozen goods. 9am-6pm Daily. 905 227-1156- 16 Ormond St. N Thorold.
Subway Sandwiches- Pick up or Delivery through SKipTheDishes, DoorsDash, Uber Eat or Foodora. 905-733-8819-8 Clairmont St. Unit 6 Thorold. http://www.subway.com/
Volcano Pizzeria- (Pick up or Delivery-905 227-2323-9 Pine St.N Thorold. http://www.volcanopizzeria.ca/
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