Townsville juice bar Squeeze Me facing possible closure due to staff shortages

A struggling family-owned juice bar in North Ward is considering closing down. See why

A struggling family-owned juice bar in North Ward is considering closing down due to an ongoing hospitality staff shortage pushing them to the “breaking point”.

Squeeze Me owners Katie and Sarah Sellers say in the seven years they’ve been operating their small business, it’s been the “hardest it’s ever been” to find staff.

The two Townsville sisters, who normally employ up to 15 staff, have been flat out trying to cover shifts themselves with just three staff on deck.

The pair’s dreams of expanding the business now seem out of reach, as they now seriously consider possibly downsizing or selling due to not having enough employees for the shop.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Katie said.

“I know this has been a problem for many businesses, but small ones like ours are the ones dealing with the massive side effects.

“We just aren’t receiving the same amount of resumes and people showing interest in work.

Squeeze Me

“The next generation of workers has been lacking, and it’s hard to find people who are reliable and show up.

“We’re constantly scrambling to cover for people who can’t come in, which puts a lot of pressure on us because we have to be so hands-on. It also puts pressure on the hardworking staff we do have who get fatigued.”

Ms Sellers said their staffing issues had been exacerbated by the added pressure of the rising costs of wages and superannuation, along with the costs of fruit, their rent and council charges.

“We are doing everything we can, we buy locally,” she said.

“Our cost of sales last year going into the local economy was over half a million dollars, wages near $220,000 last year.”

It comes after a staff shortage crippling hospitality businesses on Magnetic Island forced some hard-hit venues to cut back operating hours during the peak school holiday period.

Originally published as Townsville juice bar Squeeze Me facing possible closure due to staff shortages