Essex Restaurant Pinwheel to Close After Labor Shortages Force Owners to Quit

Wendy Piotrowski and Andrew Machanic have confirmed that the Pinwheel, their Western-influenced breakfast and lunch spot in Essex, will close on November 20. The couple cited labor shortages as the primary reason for the shutdown, noting that they could not find enough staff to handle the volume of business.

Piotrowski, 44, stated that the team simply has not had enough personnel to manage the busy operations. Machanic, 58, added that he might continue offering catering services for Christmas if demand remains strong in November. Customers can still place Thanksgiving catering orders until the final day of service.

The owners quietly listed the restaurant for sale in May at a price of $225,000. Machanic said they still hope to sell the business, or at least the equipment, before the doors close permanently. The Pinwheel is located at 4 Carmichael Street, Suite 106.

The couple first operated the Swingin’ Pinwheel on Center Street in Burlington from 2014 to 2021. They then ran the Sweet Wheels Donuts bus before relaunching a suburban version of their daytime restaurant in early 2025. The Essex location offered American West décor and dishes influenced by Machanic’s years of cooking at guest ranches and resorts in the West.

Menu items included eggs Cassidy with corn cakes, the plate-size Haystack Hashbrown, signature jam-dolloped pinwheel pastries, and Wafflini sandwiches. These sandwiches were made with pastry instead of bread and pressed in a waffle iron.

Piotrowski said the couple are unlikely to open another restaurant. She noted that Machanic has been cooking professionally for 40 years and is looking to switch his career path now.