‘I had to buy a lawnmower’: Rich Hampton residents and tourists struggle amid labour shortage

‘My brother just showed me how to use the thing that trims the weeds. Yesterday, I finally did that. I had to take my $800 sneakers off first, but it was actually satisfying,’ one wealthy residents says

Rich Hampton residents and tourists are struggling with mowing their own lawns and foregoing salon appointments as the East End of Long Island is experiencing a labour shortage.

Higher rental costs caused by rising house prices and a ban on temporary work visas have led to a drought of summer workers, leaving wealthy residents having to do their own chores and struggling to get an appointment to get their hair done.

Restaurants and shops are also short of workers amid a population boom in the area caused by Covid-19.

Annie Barton, who has owned and operated The Salon & Day Spa for more than two decades, told Vanity Fair in June that she has “never seen a summer like this”.

“We have a two-week waiting list, and some hairdressers have a one-month waiting list,” she said.

Her stylists are working “nonstop from the minute they arrive to the minute they leave” and she has been asking regulars to prebook or risk not getting an appointment.

On the neighbourhood app NextDoor, posters are “desperate” to find gardeners, electricians, plumbers, and house cleaners.

“I can’t seem to find a person to cut my lawn…. I had someone for years, but I think he is too busy with estate job,” one post from late last month reads.

“I had to buy a lawnmower and cut my own lawn. I wanted flowers planted behind the pool. The landscaper didn’t show up. I had to do it myself,” one East Hampton resident said. “My brother just showed me how to use the thing that trims the weeds. Yesterday, I finally did that. I had to take my $800 sneakers off first, but it was actually satisfying.”

In order for Manhattan residents to avoid having to go back to the city to visit a doctor, a 24/7 members-only concierge service has set up a pop-up clinic in Water Mill. If you’re under the age of 45, you can get home visits at any time for an annual fee of $3,000 or $8,000 for a family.

The same labour shortage exists for dog care, with a veterinarian’s mobile clinic making its way to the area. Dog sitters and walkers have had to say no to anyone but their existing customers.

Diners waiting a bit longer than usual for their food to arrive have been heard saying: “They’re paid too much collecting unemployment. Nobody wants to wait tables.”

Pushing back, East Hampton resident Sarah Focarino told the magazine: “If I hear anyone say it’s because of unemployment again, I’ll freak out – it’s not that.”

“I know a lot of restaurant people who took that time to start doing what they originally wanted to do,” she added. “We all slowed down and remembered that those jobs aren’t who we are. A lot of people I know started doing stuff from home. Small businesses. Online work. Things that can’t be shut down again.”

She said many homeowners took advantage of the rising house prices and sold their homes to city residents, but she kept working the night shift at a local restaurant when it opened back up.

She also started her fitness business back up, began walking dogs, and started painting again after a years-long pause.

“We can’t take the risk of another shutdown,” she told Vanity Fair. “It’s nearly impossible to stay afloat year-round as a local, and there’s not much left besides things for the wealthy.”