Business owners’ feelings mixed on eased pandemic restrictions
Feelings are mixed about whether the move to 100percent capacity for restaurants and retail shops is the right move for Connecticut, but people are feeling a positive sense that things are moving forward.
On March 19, Gov. Ned Lamont has decreed that the next phase of the rollback will take place, with capacity limits lifted for restaurants, retail shops, offices and more.
“That’s great,” said Bob Mazza, owner of the Sugar Bowl Luncheonette, who has struggled to keep his business going with the restrictions.
“It’s hard to get by with 25 percent or 50 percent,” he said, welcoming the change. “We can use all the help we can get.”
Mazza said he has seen more people coming back in recent weeks, largely due he believes to vaccinations.
“I think some of the older people are a little hesitant, unless they had the shots,” he said.
That’s why some stores, like Johnny’s Records, intend to keep their occupancy limits in place—in their case no more than four customers in the store at one time.
“People won’t be comfortable, (as) this is a small store,” owner John Conrad, adding agreement with their concerns.
“I want the restaurants to make their money, and the gyms … I want us to get out of this. It’s been a long slog,” he said.
“I think we’re really close, but why blow it now?” he said of loosening the restrictions, noting he would prefer to see the state wait until at least 70 percent of the population is vaccinated.
“Nobody wants to get this,” Conrad said, adding he didn’t want to be a catalyst.
Several other retail store owners said, fortunately, that it wasn’t necessarily a change that would have a large impact on their businesses—either because they have ample room to accommodate many people, or they just never have that many in the store at one time.
“I don’t think it really affects us that much,” said Sheila Daley, owner of Barrett Bookstore. “We are lucky enough to have enough space that it’s not a crowded, constricted area.”
“We never really have a huge crowd in at the same time,” said Bill Jensen, owner of Darien Toy Box, who also intends to limit the numbers at roughly the same level he has maintained throughout the winter.
He said he sympathizes with the many businesses that need to facilitate larger numbers of people at once, such as restaurants. At the same time he noted that ultimately everyone will have to adjust to a changed world.
“We’re not going back to normal,” he said. “That’s not going to happen, regardless of what we’d like or hope for. We’re not going back to 2019. That’s nonexistent.”
“We’ve changed the way we work,” he said. “We’ve changed the way we play.”
Like others, Erica Wood, owner of Wiggles & Giggles, put in a plug for people to maintain safety protocol.
“I think we should be wearing masks and being careful, but it’s good news,” she said. “I think as a state they’ve done a great job.”
“I definitely feel for the restaurants,” she said. “My god, these poor people. I think for them it’s been a horrible year and I think opening up for them will put a light at the end of the tunnel.”
“I can’t believe this Friday has been a year,” Wood said, noting favor for the move to expand.
“It’s good stuff,” she said. “I think we’re heading in the right direction. I just think we need to continue to be diligent.”
Club Pilates Darien has done its utmost to maintain protocol, according to manager Katelyn Tortora, but the change will offer muchneeded relief.
“I think it’s time,” she said, noting the reduction in space has not only reduced business, but prevented people from taking part in their workout.
“It’s been challenging for our members getting into class,” she said, with cardio classes having been cut in half due to space, and flow classes reduced in size.
“I’m looking forward to the new policies,” Tortora said.
As with business owners, patrons too are on the fence about the right answer.
“I think it’s totally personal,” noted Margo Findley of New Canaan, who stopped in for a bite at Green & Tonic.
She said some of her friends are in favor of the expanded opening, while others feel it’s too much too soon.
“There’s just a mix of different opinions,” she said, “and I respect that.
She and her friend, Joan Post of Darien, both agree that they themselves will feel more comfortable being out and about once they too receive the vaccination.
“I think it’s a personal decision that everyone needs to make,” Post said, “to do what they feel comfortable with.”
David Nelson, owner of Ten Twenty Post, said the change in restrictions is “wonderful in terms of making people more comfortable going out.”
However, because distancing is still in effect, it means that Ten Twenty Post’s table distancing keeps the eatery at 50 percent capacity.
“It doesn’t really change anything for us,” Nelson said.
He added that further help would be if there was an increase in party size, which remains at eight.
“It’s kind of a wash for us, but we are doing very well with what we have to work with. The town has been absolutely amazing to us,” he said.
Nelson said he’s seeing much more excitement from the community in terms of getting out on the town.
“I don’t know if it is a pent-up energy or the availability of the vaccine, but I’ve been seeing a lot of people out who I haven’t seen for a long time,” Nelson said.
He said people are sitting outside and inside, but the consensus is that they want to come out and be social.
Nelson also said he expects a good spring after Planning & Zoning has approved an outdoor renovation for the restaurant, that includes removing the outdoor tent and adding a pergola in the back. Additional outdoor seating will also be created along the side of Ten Twenty Post.
Inside improvements will also be coming in terms of changing colors in what Nelson described as a “facelift” for the 13-year-old restaurant to “lighten it up.”
The improvements will begin in the next few weeks, Nelson said, once the building department approves the plans. He also said that building owner David Genovese has been very supportive and has been an “angel.”
“It’s going to be really beautiful and that’s very exciting. These are all good things, good steps,” Nelson said.