Area restaurants struggle to find a new normal, despite the change in health orders
Ohio Interim Director of Health Lance Himes announced effective 12: 01 a. m. on Sept. 24, restaurants were allowed to open for in- person dining at full capacity provided they continue to follow a set of rules laid out by the Ohio Department of Health.
But just because businesses can reopen doesn't mean life is back to normal.
Within the order are specific rules, including one that mandates six- foot social distancing for both employees and the public when possible, including when customers are standing in line. Owners are not allowed to seat more than 10 people per table, and customers are required to wear facial coverings when not eating.
These rules have affected owners in different ways, and left some owners feeling like things haven't changed.
"There really wasn't anything that was lifted in the last order," said Stefanie Holtz, owner of the Lucky Steer. "It said it opened us up to full capacity, but you still have to have six feet of distance, so that still doesn't open us up to full capacity … we're not set up that way. So this last one, yes, it would open up selfserve if you have someone serving it, but again you have to have six feet between everyone, and so this latest order didn't do anything for us."
As sales fall, Holtz said her costs have risen because of the need for more personal protective equipment, commonly known as PPE.
"We have to do more sanitation things so I have to have more people working so that we can make sure we're taking care of all of the … extra things," Holtz added.
According to Holtz, business has dropped 40 percent in the last six months. This has led her to worry about what the future could bring, and not just the virus.
"If it's a hard winter like they're calling, it's very worrisome," Holtz said. "Then you've got people that don't want to come out because of the weather."
Carl Serr, owner of LaGrande Pizza, was direct.
"We haven't rebounded at all," Serr said. "We have remained closed since, I don't remember
the date, but whenever the governor closed everything down ( Mar. 15) just for dining- in or bars or that type of thing."
Serr believes during those first 4- 5 months of the pandemic, business at Lagrande fell just shy of 10 percent of normal business. The number has continued to fall to somewhere between 10- 20 percent since his competitors reopened. Instead, he decided not to reopen in- door dining.
But Serr is optimistic Lagrande will reopen soon.
"We kind of wanted to wait as long as we could to see if these restrictions would be relaxed," Serr said. "And now I guess you can get full capacity, but as long as you keep the six- foot social distancing."
For others, including Lindsie Vaughn, co- owner of the Side Rail, new rules haven't affected them.
"As far as our business goes we've been doing well," Vaughn said. "You definitely have people coming out, people eating so it's not a ghost town. I mean, people are doing things so that's a plus. So we're pretty happy with the turnout and people supporting our business."
One idea they all support is for things get back to some semblance of normalcy while maintaining the need for social distancing.
"It's hard because I know a lot of people that are still afraid,"
Holtz said. "People are still afraid to come out."
Holtz also mentioned a need for businesses to operate prepandemic.
"I understand the need for distancing, but I also understand the need for businesses to be able to operate the way they were made to operate," Holtz said.
"I think everybody would like it to get back to 100 percent normal, but you still have to use a lot of common sense," Serr added.