Rochester Restaurant Says Staff Quit Over 100-Degree Kitchen and HVAC Issues

An easy spot to grab a bite to eat after you have fun at the Soldier's Field Pool is Townies Philly Kitchen & Bar.  It is right there...same parking lot...just a few steps away to fill up with food after a fun day at the pool or hanging out at the golf course.  Unfortunately, it sounds like they are now temporarily closed due to some a/c issues that have been communicated to the landlord, the City of Rochester.

However, due to the issues not being fixed, the kitchen staff have quit due to the horrible temps.  Below is the message that was shared on social media regarding the temporary closure as well as an update from the City of Rochester regarding this issue.

READ MORE: After 58 Years, Cheap Charlie's Is Closing In Rochester, MN

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Townies Philly Kitchen & Bar Temporarily Closed Due To Issues With HVAC System

On Monday, July 13th, Townies Philly Kitchen & Bar, located at 244 Soldiers Field Dr SW in Rochester, posted a video on Facebook letting its fans know that they need to temporarily close due to issues with their air conditioning.

According to the video on the Townies Philly Kitchen & Bar Facebook page, this restaurant is in the Soldier's Field pro shop building, which "is owned by the City of Rochester", meaning, the city is the landlord.  Frustration is pretty evident in the video that was shared, and here are a few of the statements that were made:

"...I'd love to say that, uh, this is a good video. It's not...Townies, will be closed today, and indefinitely for the rest of the week, until we get some sort of answer, at least. because we have an AC system that's 38 years old, that has not been repaired, and we've been asking the city, in communication with them, to get it fixed for weeks.  It's actually been an issue for a couple of years, but it's been working so hard that, but now it finally has gotten so bad that our kitchen is quitting, because the working conditions in the back are so horrible that nobody wants to work, and quite frankly, I don't blame them. I'm on their side 100%. Uh, I wouldn't want to work in 100 degree plus weather or temperature.  So Townies, at least for today...we are shut down, uh, until the city of Rochester decides they want to actually do something and figure this out."

You can watch the full video here.

City of Rochester's Response To The HVAC Issues At Townies

Below is an update from the City of Rochester regarding the air conditioning issues at the Townies location at the Sociers Field Golf Course clubhouse:

The City of Rochester is aware of a recent social media video posted by the owner of Townies regarding the air conditioning system at the Soldiers Field Golf Course clubhouse. City staff had been actively working to address issues with the aging air conditioning system and coordinating repairs to keep it operational. Early last week, the system experienced a major failure, and it was determined that the system must be replaced rather than repaired.

 

The City immediately began seeking replacement quotes after determining the system needed to be replaced. Because of the unique configuration of the system, the process has taken additional time. The City is also working to provide temporary cooling for the kitchen and other areas of the clubhouse until a permanent replacement is installed.

 

We have been in communication with the Townies owner and remain committed to working collaboratively throughout the process.

 

The City values its partnerships with local organizations, businesses and community members. We are committed to providing a positive experience for the community and are working to restore air conditioning service as quickly as possible.

Hopefully this will get resolved soon for everyone, and when Townies re-opens, we will have the update for everyone on our free app.

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Caution - HVAC Parts Shortages Are Happening This Summer

Not sure what the main issue is for the HVAC problems at Townies.  However, I do know that getting parts to fix HVAC systems is an issue - our office has been at some steamy and humid levels the past few weeks. Unfortunately, the part needed to make our office feel comfy again is having some supply and demand issues and isn't available yet.  (Thank goodness you can't see me while I'm on the radio...a tank top and shorts seem to be the norm lately as I do a show.) 

According to WTOP, my office isn't the only one having issues with getting the necessary parts for HVAC fixes.  Shortages of replacement parts are happening for residential air conditioning systems too.

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