![]() ![]() "I don't want people to be reminded of the pandemic the whole time they're trying to enjoy themselves," he said. In addition to the fire pits the restaurant already had, he added standing heaters and hibiscus plants. The Pour Yard was already a mostly outdoor establishment, but DiBona said a little reconfiguring was necessary to make the patio inviting while adhering to state guidelines that there be at least 6 feet of space between tables. This at least gives us a fighting chance." "If we had to wait another month to open up, we may not have been around to be able to do that. ![]() Kelly said the upfront work of switching to an outside operation is no joke - he estimates he had to spend more than $15,000 on tents and outdoor tables - but he thinks they'll be able to fit 120 seats while still following social distancing regulations. "When we heard they were offering this for outdoor options, we thought, 'Why not give it a shot?' " Our whole world was turned upside down by this thing," Kelly said. "Things had been going pretty well up until three months ago. Brick and Beam opened three years ago in the space once occupied by longtime favorite Villa Rosa on Adams Street. I know there’s no replacing getting back up and running at full speed, but hopefully this first step will provide a number our businesses an initial shot of much-needed revenue as the state moves forward with the reopening process."īrett Kelly, owner of Brick and Beam, said his restaurant will start serving on picnic tables on the sidewalk and in the parking lot beginning this weekend. Koch, in an email, said, "I’m happy to see so many of our terrific restaurants take advantage of this opportunity. ![]() Along the back fence, colorful signs hang with messages such as "Welcome back" and "Please keep your distance."Ĭhris Walker, chief of staff to Mayor Thomas Koch, said more than two dozen restaurants had applied to expand or create new patios as of Monday. The parking lot seats up to 78 people and its tables are spaced 10 feet apart. The Fowler House Café converted its entire back parking lot into an outdoor dining room with picnic benches and patio seating. Last Thursday, the city told restaurant owners they could fill out a quick application online for a temporary outdoor dining license that allows them to serve food and drinks on makeshift patios using sidewalks, parking lots or even parking lanes. Restaurants with patios, roof decks or other outdoor seating were well-equipped to reopen, but other eateries are getting creative so they can start serving again. "We were planning for a 25 percent capacity inside, then we were told it was outside, so we scrambled to figure that out, but we're happy to be back." ![]() "The hardest thing was not knowing," Lauren Rizzotti, manager of The Fowler House Café, said. Indoor dining and bar seating are still not allowed, but owners say they're grateful to be allowed to open at all. "We had people waiting at noon for us to open and it's good to be back."ĭozens of restaurants throughout the state were getting back into the swing of things Monday when Phase 2 of the state's reopening plan began, bringing with it the OK for restaurants to start serving customers outside. It's expensive to be closed," DiBona said Monday. He said the three summers after he first opened The Pour Yard were a busy blur of craft beer pours, laughter and quick bites, which all came to a screeching halt when the COVID-19 pandemic closed restaurants, bars and retail shops.īut on Monday, he and his staff were back to dishing up gourmet hotdogs and serving margarita flights under the sun to a crowded patio. The Pour Yard is a seasonal gig, and Cagney's closed for 13 weeks after DiBona decided against offering takeout service. QUINCY - For nearly three months, Mark DiBona, owner of The Pour Yard and Cagney's in Quincy, didn't see a customer. ![]()
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