Milford restaurants adjust to serve customers

MILFORD — Restaurateurs Scott Rohrig, Gus Grigoriadis and Paul Mingrone have been working on the fly since Gov. Ned Lamont announced that Connecticut bars and restaurants would shut down as of March 17.

Ten days after, each has looked to find a way to serve the community by staying open for take-out service.

Rohrig, owner of Lasse’s Restaurant on Bridgeport Avenue, feels an obligation.

“I want to thank the town of Milford for supporting us. I believe we are supporting others in the community by doing what we do — and doing it as well as we can,” said Rohrig, the latest in an extended family to operate Lassie’s which will be celebrating its 56th anniversary on April 1.

“This is a tough thing we are going through as a city. I feel fortunate that we have been able to stay afloat. Other businesses and workers haven’t been as fortunate. We are pricing our food at the best levels we can to help those that have been laid off.

“Most importantly, we have been able to carry on the tradition of (restaurant founders) Russell and Evelyn Lasse, who believed if you take care of customers the right way that they will soon become your family.”

Patty Collins, catering office

“This is a tough thing we are going through as a city. I feel fortunate that we have been able to stay afloat. Other businesses and workers haven’t been as fortunate. We are pricing our food at the best levels we can to help those that have been laid off.” Scott Rohrig, owner of Lasse’s Restaurant on Bridgeport Avenue in Milford

manager at Lassie’s, said, “I was almost brought to tears by how people are coming together on this. We have had customers come in and buy gift certificates that they can then give to those in need.”

All hasn’t been rosy.

“The hardest thing has been keeping a staff,” Rohrig said. “Some employees have left us because of safety concerns for their health in leaving the house. Our phones start ringing at 8 a.m. and the emails come in overnight and are waiting for us.

“In the kitchen, the cooks are working from 8 a.m. until we finish cleaning at around 8:30 or 9 at night. Our servers now work 3 to 7 at night and bring food out to the tent we have set up outside or to the cars themselves. It is important to serve, and to keep everyone safe. That is why we will be closed on Sunday, to give our workers a chance to rest.”

Grigoriadis, proprietor of Pop’s Family Restaurant on Old Gate Lane, and his wife Julia had one main concern once the shutdown came to pass.

“We kept thinking of our older customers,” said Grigoriadis, who has been serving Milford since 1991. “I guess I could afford to close, but we know it is difficult for them to get out to do the grocery shopping and the cooking at home. We put together some family-size meals for them to pick up from their cars. We miss them coming in because we have become friends.”

Eleni Grigoriadis, one of Gus’s daughter and manager with siblings Virginia and Ipakou, said, “We get calls, especially from the elderly, they ask ‘Tell us first if you are going to close.’ They do depend on us and we take them to heart.

“It isn’t only our restaurant, but I’m so happy with the way the entire community has reacted to this virus. Everyone is supporting each other the best way they know how.”

Pop’s was forced to let employees go.

“We have an open relationship with our employees,” Eleni Grigoriadis

said. “They know they can come to us and we will help how we can. They know they will have jobs waiting for them.”

Mingrone, owner and chef at the Harbor Side Market restaurant on New Haven Avenue since 2002, said, “We waited to receive the official word and the next day looked to find a way to service our customers Without our sitdown service, the phone rings more. We are making enough for now to stay open. We are paying the rent and utilities. I feel bad for other businesses in the area, like the hair salons and shops.”

Closing of those establishments have affected Mingrone as well.

“Those customers are our bread and butter,” Mingrone said. “They are 75 percent of our base. We would see the same faces every day and knew the orders to prepare when they would come in the door. Those workers in shops that have closed were our regulars. Plus, we would deliver orders to the now closed schools about four days a week.

“We switched our hours to 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and are closed Saturday. I’ve had to lay off people that we care about. Right now, it is my wife Lisa, Lillian Munoz and myself doing the work. I’m hoping the stimulus that just passed will help those that can use it. I haven’t analyzed it to see where it may help us out.”

The coronavirus has made citizens take a step back and stand apart. But it also has brought people together in an unexpected way.

“I never did Facebook before,” Rohrig said. “Now, it has really helped get the word out. It is a good way to communicate. In some ways, the virus has forced us to find the best in each other and share. It is paying forward the good in all of us.” Industry prepared

Scott Dolch, executive director of the Connecticut Restaurant Association, indicated that the industry, including about 8,500 eating and drinking businesses and 160,000 workers, had been preparing.

“Weeks ago, Connecticut restaurants began doubling down on cleaning procedures in order to protect our customers and our employees,” Dolch said in a statement. “In the wake of Governor Lamont’s announcement, local restaurant owners will continue to offer safe, clean service to customers via takeout, curbside pickup and delivery.

“In the weeks ahead, we look forward to returning to full service once this difficult period has passed, so that our industry can continue to be an enormous economic driver for the state, and continue to employ tens of thousands of people throughout Connecticut.”