Some restaurants are curbing service
The closure of restaurants and bars in Denver and across the country appears imminent following comments made over the weekend by the U.S. government’s top disease expert regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing.
In TV interviews Sunday, Dr. Anthony Fauci said he has brought up with the Trump administration the possibility of a 14-day national shutdown that could include dining and drinking spots, according to The Washington Post and other reports.
“Right now, myself personally, I wouldn’t go to a restaurant,” he said. “I just wouldn’t because I don’t want to be in a crowded place.” Fauci leads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health.
In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is already asking bars and restaurants to close voluntarily following Fauci’s recommendation, and Ohio’s governor ordered them closed as of Sunday night, with an exception for carryout and delivery.
Illinois restaurants will close all dine-in operations by
the end of day Monday, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom called for the closure of all bars, wineries, nightclubs and brewpubs there, while asking restaurants to limit their seating to 50% capacity.
The Colorado Restaurant Association has told Colorado Gov. Jared Polis that he has done enough to control spread in the state. If he does decide to enact more controls, though, the association is “asking him to continue to allow delivery, curbside pickup, and drive-through service,” CEO Sonia Riggs said in a written statement. “Without food from restaurants, there will be even more strain on Colorado’s grocery stores, where empty aisles are already commonplace.”
Some food halls and restaurants in Denver began to close pre-emptively over the weekend, while others switched their focus to carryout or delivery, including options for curbside pickup.
The James Beard-nominated restaurant Annette in Aurora held its last dinner service Saturday night before closing the dining room indefinitely. It will offer curbside pickup 11 a.m.-7 p.m. starting Tuesday.
Owner Caroline Glover echoed the sentiments of other restaurateurs across the world who have closed their businesses to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
“Helping promote social distancing. And keeping our guests and employees safe. We know this is the right decision to prevent the spread of the virus,” Glover wrote on Instagram Sunday morning.
Lower Highland’s Avanti closed Friday for three days of cleaning — the first food hall to shut down. Since then, Stanley Marketplace in Aurora and Broadway Market in Denver have announced their closures until further notice, and Rosetta Hall in Boulder closed Sunday with a plan to re-evaluate the situation daily, according to a post on social media.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis ordered the cancellation of all gatherings and events with more than 250 people last week, though Avanti, for example, can fit more than 600 patrons between two floors and patios.
“To be clear, none of our staff has fallen ill with the virus,” Patrick O’Neill, the hall’s co-founder, said in a release. “This decision is based on the severity of the situation and a feeling of obligation to do what we can for our community.”
Avanti owners planned to pay employees during the immediate closure, and individual food stall owners were allowed to offer curbside pickup or delivery at their discretion over the weekend.
At Rosetta Hall, the owners have set up a $50,000 fund to pay all employees over the next two weeks.
“We are also assisting all our staff with access to healthcare if they need it,” the hall’s Instagram post read, adding that no one has shown any symptoms of the virus yet.
As restaurants and more small businesses scramble to prepare for possible indefinite closures, at least one has already decided to close for good in its current location.
On Saturday, Jennifer Jasinski announced that her decade-old Euclid Hall Bar & Kitchen would close at 14th and Larimer streets after a St. Patrick’s Day party Tuesday. The party is still happening “pending some governmental intervention,” the hall confirmed Sunday.
“The cumulative effects of the COVID-19 virus on our business really gave us no choice but to close now,” Jasinski said in a release. “We will continue to explore a new location for Euclid Hall, a concept we all love and are confident in.”
The restaurant’s lease was set to expire in August.