Cajun Cafe closes after 20 years

The Cajun Cafe is one of two businesses who've announced their closures this week.

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — The Cajun Cafe is yet another local business who’s announced it will be closing its doors after struggles amid the pandemic

“It was a very difficult year and it definitely knocked us back like it did everybody. We lost a lot of money during that,” Cajun Cafe owner Gary Gilbertson said.

With Twist in Downtown Fargo and Cajun Cafe in South Fargo announces closures, the struggle for local business owners to stay afloat remains an issue.

“We closed after Fathers Day. Sunday was our last day, we thought long and hard about it. We had some difficulties with help as everybody had,” said Gilbertson.

While Gilbertson says government assistance helped the restaurant stay in business, he cites the cafe’s closure to finding reliable employees.

“We could have used a little more help, but the help that we get isn’t always as dedicated as they need to be; coming in late and things like that just got to be very difficult and we’ve done this a long time and decided it was time to take a break from it,” Gilbertson said.

Customers who frequent the restaurant say they are saddened to see the 20 year community staple go.

“It’s sad to see the effects especially when we thought they were going to make it over the hump. We were here not that long ago. A couple weeks ago it was busy, I felt like they were doing really well. So, it’s surprising to see that effect just last so long,” Cajun Cafe customer Niki Knight said.

With businesses announcing their closures, one expert says it’s not likely many more will follow suit because the hospitality industry has been picking up.

“I don’t think this necessarily is a trend that you’re going to see that trend you would have seen probably a year ago. I think this is something that happened from time to time. There is a certain churn in all business and the bar and restaurant industry is no different than that, sooner or later they may reopen with different names,” Fargo-Moorhead Convention & Visitors Bureau President Charley Johnson said.

The Chamber says they are working on a new strategy to help simplify the way businesses connect to it’s resources.

There is also a Chamber Job Board here.