Stir-crazy residents just ‘happy to be out’
Stay-at-home order lifts after two months
The chance to venture out to a destination other than a grocery store or essential workplace for the first time in more than two months encouraged many Illinoisans to return to suburban restaurants and shopping malls on Saturday.
For some stir-crazy consumers and cash-strapped businesses, the lifting of a statewide stay-at-home order meant to slow the spread of a viral pandemic couldn’t come soon enough. Others balanced the desire to take steps toward a sense of normalcy with fears that moving too quickly could bring restrictions back. Diners filled tables at some suburban restaurants, but even on a sunny weekend afternoon, one north suburban beach remained quiet.
The coronavirus pandemic, which has resulted in nearly 119,000 confirmed cases and 5,330 deaths in Illinois, has slowed enough to see the state start to reopen its economy and
loosen restrictions on a range of businesses and other activities after Gov. J.B. Pritzker closed nonessential businesses in March. Chicago is expected to take the same step on Wednesday.
Still, Pritzker warned Friday that the virus remains a threat, and a spike in cases could bring back restrictions. That’s what worried some of the patrons who flocked to cafes that reopened for outdoor dining in downtown Evanston on Saturday.
“I think people are fed up, and that’s what is driving this,” said Sharon Okonek, who stopped at Colectivo Coffee after visiting the city’s farmers market with her husband. “It corresponds with the change in the weather. People are just ready to come out, and I do worry that it’s not the right time scientifically.”
Others were more than ready to get back to activities they’d missed.
Dayna Nguyen, waiting to enter the patio at Potter’s Place in downtown Naperville with her husband, two daughters and parents, said her family followed quarantine guidelines through March and April. But in May, the family went on a weeklong vacation in Florida, where stores and beaches opened earlier than they did in Illinois.
“I am a grown adult with all the information,” she said. “I fully understand ... I will take my chances.”
Restaurants with space for outdoor dining were busy from north suburban Glenview to south suburban Frankfort, where waits for an open table at Trail’s Edge Brewing Co. stretched up to four hours when it opened Friday night.
“People are just so happy to be out, some of our servers are getting 100% tips,” said manager Ken Majewski.
Frankfort resident Laurie Miller was out enjoying a meal with daughter Samantha, a student at St. Louis University. They were both sporting wide grins after just coming from getting manicures. They sat in the shade, taking in the environment.
“Thank God places are opening,” Laurie Miller said. “Just to walk, get some air and not have to cook? It feels good. It feels good to let someone else serve me a meal.”
At the Glen Town Center in Glenview, outdoor seating at some restaurants extended into the street and was blocked off by large orange barricades. While some wore masks, people of all ages dined and shopped without them, or left them hanging around necks or below their noses.
At El Tradicional, Debby Weber, 65, and an out-oftown cousin perched on a high-top a half-hour before the restaurant opened for service. They contentedly looked over the menu, taking in the fine weather and the foreign experience of eating at a restaurant after months of staying in.
“It’s heavenly,” said Weber, who lives in Northfield.
“We have our masks if we need them,” said Weber, patting her purse. “But I’ve been very careful, and I plan to stay that way.”
Downtown Aurora wasn’t crowded Saturday afternoon.
Altiro Latin Fusion, which opened weeks before the state required restaurants to close to in-person dining, was busier than owners expected, but remained below its capacity, general manager Jessica Contreras said. That was likely because the restaurant is requiring customers to make reservations before arriving as part of its social distancing and safety precautions, she said.
She expected business to pick up, however, and the restaurant was working with the city to expand into the street to add tables.
“I think it’ll definitely be picking up,” she said. “Especially because it’s summer and people don’t want to be home.”
The scene at Northbrook Court mall also was quiet.
Only a handful of stores reopened by Saturday, though an eyebrow threading salon and nail salon saw a steady stream of customers, said general manager Brian Lee.
“We’re hoping as we get more tenants opening and as more people get the word things are safe and comfortable and ready to go, things will continue to grow,” he said.
Retailers that reopened also weighed how many precautions to take. Some chains have closed fitting rooms, while those that let shoppers try on merchandise must sanitize or quarantine it before placing it back out for sale. Some require appointments to help stay below rules restricting them to half their normal capacity, while others let shoppers line up outside.
At Gracie’s, a women’s boutique in Evanston, every shopper must have their temperature checked before coming in to browse. Owner John Liberty wasn’t sure how consumers would react, but said people seemed to appreciate that Gracie’s went beyond the basic precautions.
Business so far has been better than expected, “but our expectations were low,” he said.
Vivian Killebrew, owner of Stepping Out on Faith consignment shop in Evanston, said she hopes shoppers will return as more stores open.
She had few customers on her first two days in business and spent most of the time straightening out her inventory and putting some of it aside to donate.
Killebrew, who said she lost three family members to COVID-19, felt the state had loosened its restrictions of the stay-at-home order too quickly.
At the same time, her store is behind on rent, and she has bills to pay.
“I’ve been here for 10 years,” said Killebrew, 62. “I don’t know if I’m going to be here another six months.”
In Naperville, on the other hand, there was a line outside to get into clothing boutique Havana, as the store had limited its capacity to no more than 10 people.
Naperville resident Sherri Daniels said she felt more concerned about safety waiting in line, where people wore masks but had congregated behind her, than she did entering a store. As long as shoppers wore masks and stores limited capacity, and everyone was mindful of safety precautions, she felt safe.
What remains to be seen is how eagerly shoppers will return to businesses once the initial wave of pent-up demand from people who put off purchases or are just desperate to get out of the house passes, said Neil Stern, senior partner at Chicago-based retail consultancy McMillanDoolittle.
Retailers that were struggling even before the pandemic began can’t afford significant reductions in foot traffic, he said.
“It’s going to hasten the demise of a lot of retailers that were already on defense,” Stern said.
J.C. Penney, J. Crew and Neiman Marcus all filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month. Small independent stores could be even more vulnerable since they lack bigger chains’ leverage to push for assistance on rent, Stern said.
Others took advantage of the sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-60s to head to outdoor destinations, where a wider range of activities are permitted in the open air.
Nearly 2,000 people attended the Oak Park Farmers’ Market on its opening day Saturday. Customers were required to wear masks and encouraged to “shop with eyes only,” as several vendors featured signs asking customers to not touch the products. Only 150 people at a time were allowed to shop from the 23 vendors.
Shopper Janice Tonietto, of Berwyn, said she didn’t enjoy wearing the required mask, but it was worth it for the market’s fresh vegetables and fruits.
“But if wearing it gets me into the market, I’ll wear it.”
The mood was quieter at Glencoe Beach, where the required season passes swiftly sold out this month.
A lone sailboat bobbed in a turquoise swath of Lake Michigan on Saturday afternoon. Only a few dozen visitors, primarily young families, soaked up the sunshine on the nearly empty shoreline.
While a few youngsters dipped their toes in the icy water lapping the North Shore beach, swimming is currently verboten, and officials have said even if the prohibition is lifted later this summer, it will be “swim at your own risk” with no lifeguards on duty.
“This is absolutely joyless ... there’s only a handful of families, and there’s no laughter from the children,” said Northbrook resident Marian Cross, who said she and her family have been season pass holders at the beach for more than 20 years.
Gesturing toward a clutch of masked visitors strolling on the beach’s lookout, Cross said, “This is all so sad.”
Chicago’s Grant Park was bustling by comparison. Children rolled down hills, skateboarders took out their cameras to shoot moves and others exercised with personal trainers on Saturday.
Patrice Clarke, of Lakeview, met her best friend Monica Barry, of Bronzeville, in the park for a picnic.
Despite their online gettogethers, the two were all smiles breaking bread in the sunshine.
“She’s my first hug in months,” Clarke said. “I wanted a hug so much, but I didn’t know what to do.”
Barry said she went in for it. The friends said they hadn’t been ill during the stay-at-home order.
“Yes, seeing each other online is OK, but there’s nothing like being in a person’s space and feeling their energy,” Clarke said.