Mindboggling Albany Area Restaurant Closings

I never realized this, but according to the Times Union, there are a boatload of restaurants shutting their doors around these parts -

I worked in the restaurant business for years in an off-handed way.  I was the in-house entertainment for several popular establishment in the 80's.  I saw first hand how hard those folks worked to keep the lights on.

I was shocked to see this slideshow on the TimesUnion.com of all the local hangouts that have boarded up.  There are 34 of them, for God sakes.

I feel really bad for them.  It makes me want to stand on a soapbox and say that we should spend less time at the chain restaurants and more time supporting the "mom and pop" places in the area.  Whether it's a hotdog stand or a high end steakhouse- doesn't matter.  They're our neighbors.  I'm as guilty as the next person of not giving new places a try.  Maybe that should a 2015 resolution for us all