Pandemic forces downtown temporary closures

At least two downtown Lorain eateries are closing down to wait out the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Carryout sales will not be enough to carry some businesses through restrictions on social gatherings due to COVID-19.

Fresco Bistro, 641 Broadway, and Speak of the Devil, 201 W. Fifth St., announced they will close indefinitely.

On March 24, owners Page and Kurt Hernon announced they would suspend operations until further notice.

The move is needed for the staff and their families to stay healthy and for the bar to survive a prolonged closure.

“You have to make a decision — what’s the smartest move to keep yourself viable at some point when this is over?” Kurt Hernon asked.

Since opening in 2017, Speak of the Devil has been credited numerous times for showing how custom cocktails could drive commerce and positive attention downtown.

On March 21, the Hernons coordinated a pick-up pizza night with fresh pizzas from Smash! The World’s Greatest Food Truck served from Speak of the Devil’s AWOL lounge and patio, which opens to the alley off West Fifth Street.

Patrons responded, at least for one night out.

On March 21, a line of cars sat stretching from the alley down West Fifth

Street to Washington Avenue with drivers waiting to pick up their meals.

The turnout for pizza orders was an incredible show of support, with customers coming from as far as Cleveland, Kurt Hernon said.

But the best route now is to hunker down, cut overhead costs and rev back up when health conditions improve, he said.

“While last Saturday was an amazing day and we were blown away by the support of our community, this business isn’t modeled for that,” Kurt Hernon said.

Fresco Bistro opened its doors earlier this year.

It remained open March 21, with owner Laura Vega rearranging the dine-in tables to create an aisle leading from the entrance to the pickup counter, which still had a full menu of healthy food selections.

Next door, the Brass & Bronze Foundry Bar stood ready for a crowd, but empty, because patrons no longer were allowed in due to the state regulations.

“We’re very excited and sad at the same time,” Vega said March 21.

Two days later, the restaurant announced it would close until further notice.

“Your time to shine is when things don’t go as planned,” Fresco Bistro posted on Facebook. “How you react to that is how people will judge you.

“From a botched order to pandemic and everything in between. It is the measure of a good company and a good person. Be kind to each other ... from a comfortable distance.”