Ohio BBQ Restaurant Names Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf 'Employee Of The Month' After Spike In Business

PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) -- An Ohio BBQ restaurant named Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf its "employee of the month" after business skyrocketed. Breakwall BBQ sits along Lake Erie near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border in a town called Conneaut.

The BBQ joint tells Erie News Now they've had hundreds of customers cross the border to eat at their restaurant as Erie County remains in the yellow phase of the state's reopening process.

"A lot of people from Pennsylvania who wanted to get out of their houses, got out of their houses and came and visited us," owner Mike Morgan told Erie News Now.

Morgan says the business has broken sales records largely because of its Pennsylvania customers escaping the shutdown.

Download The New And Improved CBS Philly App! 

Customers from Erie County say they would eat at local restaurants but they can't, so they head to Ohio.

While Morgan is thankful for the business boom, he feels bad for other restaurants.

"We're making a killing, and we're grateful for it," he said. "I wish they could too. People are ready to get out of their houses."

After the Facebook post naming Gov. Wolf employee of the month blew up, Breakwall BBQ posted a clarification.

"For clarity, we were light-heartedly commenting on the situation in Erie," the post read. "I do teach economics in the fall and will be hosting several seminars on entrepreneurship in the winter. Now, let's get back to the BBQ. How's that sound?"

On Tuesday, Pennsylvania officials reported 33 additional coronavirus-related deaths and 362 new cases, bringing the statewide total to nearly 80,000 cases and 6,276 deaths.

There are currently 46 counties in the green phase of Pennsylvania's reopening process and 21 in the yellow.

© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

In:
• Pennsylvania
• Tom Wolf
• Ohio