Like most Augusta businesses, and indeed most individual residents, the Boll Weevil Café and Sweetery has had to wrestle with the impact of Hurricane Helene.
The Southern-style diner, tucked away along the Riverwalk on James Brown Boulevard, has had to reduce its hours and adjust to fewer patrons over the last week.
Rafael Gonzalez, who has been general manager at Boll Weevil for about a decade, wants people to know that “we’re not closing.”
“Due to everything that’s gone on, you know, we’re a restaurant, and that’s not the number one thing on people’s minds right now,” he said, noting that, nonetheless, between the city’s burgeoning recovery efforts—and its resulting curfews—the café operated last week from about 11 a.m. to 6 or 7 p.m. on weekdays, whereas it would normally close at 9 or 10 p.m.
The week Helene arrived, Boll Weevil was expecting an influx of customers from Iron Man weekend, and so what’s normally an uptick in business became a struggle to adjust.
Some employees’ hours have had to be cut, and post-storm sales have introduced the consideration of letting some staff go temporarily.
“This is the second week for us going into it, so I told the owners that I’m willing to be here alone to see what happens this week,” said Gonzalez, who also noted that the eatery is currently in the process of transferring ownership to him.
He already has plans for when that’s transfer is complete, including an updated menu, renovating its rear-area parking lot, and hosting events—mostly live music, and its Monday night open mic night.
“Food, entertainment and family, that’s my big three things,” said Gonzalez. “If I can bring a little more entertainment this way, I’ll be really happy.”
Gonzalez has also joined Downtown Soul City, the merchant organization of downtown businesses, in anticipation of the changes he aims to make to revamp the café.
“As long as the city of Augusta allows us to be here, we’ll be more than happy to continue doing what we do.”
The Boll Weevil Café is located at 10 James Brown Blvd. For updates on its hours, visit its Facebook page.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
