Rolly Hayes, owner of Rolly’s Tavern on the Square, spent a good part of Monday setting up an outdoor dining space in the front of his Lynn restaurant.
Like all other restaurant owners across Massachusetts, Hayes was given the green light from Gov. Charlie Baker to begin reopening his establishment to outdoor dining this week, with proper social distancing measures in place.
Hayes had already received approval for that extension of the premises, which he has used in the past, but he will have to seek further approval from the Lynn License Commission this week to convert the back of his restaurant, including the rear parking lot, into an outdoor dining area.
Between the two spaces, Hayes anticipates he would have about 70 outdoor seats. To comply with social distancing guidelines from the state, he said tables will be marked off and placed six feet apart. Customers won’t have to wear a face covering when sitting down to eat, but they will have to cover up when moving around the dining area or using the restroom.
“I’m planning on utilizing those spaces whenever I can, whenever weather permits,” said Hayes. “I’m excited about the restaurants at least partially reopening up, (as) everyone who owns a restaurant I’m sure is.”
The License Commission will consider Hayes’ application, along with those from other business owners seeking to expand their premises to add outside dining, on Tuesday. The commission will also meet Thursday to consider additional applications, and will continue to meet each week for that purpose going forward, according to Assistant City Solicitor James Lamanna.
As of about 2 p.m. Monday, the city had received about 20 applications from restaurant owners, said Lamanna during a Zoom call hosted by the Greater Lynn Chamber of Commerce, noting that owners will appear on Tuesday’s agenda if they submit their applications by 4 p.m. that same day.
Before applications can be approved by the License Commission, the Lynn City Council has to approve an executive order from Mayor Thomas M. McGee and the City Council “regarding the expansion of licensed premises through Oct. 31.”
The executive order, if approved by the council Tuesday evening, would create a temporary program that would allow restaurants to operate in outdoor settings.
The policy would allow restaurants to expand by using space on their own property, convert their parking lots or use sidewalks adjacent to their properties, said Lamanna. In more limited cases, the city would consider requests to close streets and use municipal parking lots, he said.
McGee said the city is considering street closures to create more outdoor space for restaurants, but those requests would also require input from the Lynn Traffic Commission. He said there could be an opportunity to use parts of the downtown as places where people can eat and hang outside during certain days of the week.
“We have been talking about that concept,” said City Planner Aaron Clausen, who also participated in the Zoom call. “The first step was creating this process where restaurants could offer seating outside.”
Lynn restaurant owners got an additional boost on Monday, when McGee and the city’s Public Health Director Michele Desmarais rescinded the curbside takeout requirement, according to City Sanitarian Lisa Tobin.
Customers are now allowed inside restaurants to pick up food, but they cannot linger, must wear masks, and businesses must meet social distancing requirements, according to Tobin.
George Markos, owner of Brothers Deli, located at 41 Market St., is hopeful the elimination of the curbside restriction will lead to more customers. With it in place, Markos said he wasn’t making enough money to pay rent on his restaurant.
“There wasn’t good days,” said Markos. “Now (that) they let people come in, it might increase a little bit. Let’s hope for better days, I can’t even think (about) what the next step (is), but I’m very positive about what’s happening. I think we have better days ahead of us. Once this virus goes away, we can all survive, but only God knows about that so let’s hope for the best.”
Markos said he was grateful for being given the option for outdoor dining, but isn’t sure if he will submit an application. With a tight parking lot, he said adding outdoor seating would be “very complicated” and hopes he doesn’t have to do it.
“I think it’s another option for us to survive,” said Markos. “I haven’t decided yet. I like the idea. It gives me another option in case I get stuck.”
SWAMPSCOTT
Swampscott Director of Community and Economic Development Marzie Galazka, who also participated in Monday’s Zoom call, said the town can’t move as quickly as Lynn, in terms of allowing for restaurants to expand for outdoor dining.
Those zoning changes can’t be made until Town Meeting, which is scheduled for June 22, Galazka said.
“We are looking to amend our zoning bylaws to allow restaurants and retail to offer outdoor operations,” said Galazka. “We’re also looking at ways to enhance the outdoor dining options by looking at potential street closures. We have to make sure we do it safely, do it right and really assist the business community.”
Marty Bloom, co-owner of Mission on the Bay in Swampscott, said his restaurant is opening on Tuesday from noon to 9 p.m. and will keep those hours going forward while following the state’s COVID-19 guidelines. Of course, everything is subject to change.
“We will take it one day at a time,” Bloom said. “This is a big-time learning curve, and every day is going to be a different day. I’ve been doing this for 40 years and I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Bloom said Mission on the Bay has a “built-in” advantage in following COVID-19 reopening rules compared to other restaurants because of its large rooftop deck area, which allows it to seat many people while still maintaining social distancing. Cocktail “tables” will be set up for drinks because people won’t be going up to a bar.
However, Bloom said he knows that no one can reopen perfectly.
“I’m sure every day and every hour we’ll be modifying things,” he said. “I’ve talked with officials, and I’ve told them, ‘This is going to be hard as crap to get everything right, and we are all going to be making lots and lots of mistakes.’
“The problem is we can’t control every human being. I pray to God we don’t have the social distancing police saying, ‘Oh no they are four feet from me,'” Bloom said. “We are in the hospitality industry. We are not in the policing and regulatory industry. If you don’t want to come in, don’t. Stay under your bed for the next six months.”
Bloom said restaurant-goers should “trust” the food industry, which, along with the healthcare industry, knows about health and safety more than any other. He said kitchen staff will wear masks, but other than that, kitchen protocol during the pandemic is exactly the same as before.
“Nobody knows health better than us, maybe hospitals and restaurants, and that’s it. This is what we do every day,” Bloom said. “People trust us to run a clean, articulated business, and that’s why we have been so successful.”
There is currently a high level of distrust in government among restaurant owners, Bloom said, and he is hopeful restaurants will eventually be able to open in full. Small businesses are the “backbone” of the country, Bloom said, and they will not be able to survive by “just opening pieces.”
SAUGUS
In Saugus, both Kowloon and Prince restaurants have been preparing for this day, and both will be ready to serve customers on-site beginning today.
Bob Wong of Kowloon said that the restaurant will be set up for both the car-hop system it has been using through the three-month COVID-19 shutdown, and will have between 20-24 tables on the back end of the parking lot with umbrellas. There are no plans for any tents.
“We hope to pass inspections from the Fire Department and Board of Health. The tables will be equidistant from each other in accordance with social separation,” Wong said.
Across the highway, Steve Castraberti of Prince has rented a tent from the Appleton Company of Lynn, and has 100 seats available for outdoor consumption.
We will separate it (from the rest of the lot) with Jersey Barriers, cones, and things like that. All this has passed tests with police, fire and Board of Health. With flying colors.”
Where Kowloon’s protocol will be a bit more straightforward, Prince’s might take some getting used to, though it will be an outgrowth of the curbside service it offered during the shutdown.
Castraberti said patrons will call from their cars upon arrival to the restaurant on Rte. 1 South to reserve a table. When the staff is ready, it will call the customers, who will then go inside the restaurant to order from the counter, the same way they always have. They will also be shown their table outside the restaurant, and will have their food delivered the way the staff has always done it.
“Our old-fashioned way of doing things works to our advantage,” Castraberti said.
Both have been preparing for this day.
“I guess there was some pre-notification, without it being official, that outdoor seating would be coming first. We were planning outdoor seating anyway, because we were going to do a Tiki Bar. We were already planning for outside, but when the pandemic hit, we put it on hold. We didn’t even know whether we’re open.”
Wong said Kowloon will skip the Tiki Bar this year, but he hopes to have a setup where the facility can provide entertainment for customers, who can watch both from their cars and from the outdoor seating area.
Castraberti said he thinks the tent will be comfortable, and hopes to be able to pipe in some music for ambiance.
“A lot of work is being done,” he said. “We are learning the proper way to sanitize, our dishwashers are learning all kinds of protocols. We have old people who are coming back after 10 weeks of being away, and some new people, and they will all be completely trained.”
Pending Legislation
Last week, the State House of Representatives passed legislation that aims to support the Commonwealth’s restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to state Reps. Peter Capano and Daniel Cahill (D-Lynn) who were both on Monday’s Greater Lynn Chamber of Commerce Zoom call.
Cahill said the restaurant aid package, which has to be approved by the state Senate and signed into law by the governor, would allow for mixed cocktails to be included in takeout services, in addition to beer and wine until February; expedite the permitting process for restaurants to allow outdoor seating; remove interest and late fees for restaurants on their meal tax payments until December; and cap fees from third party delivery services, such as Grubhub and Uber Eats, at 15 percent.
“We’re hopeful the Senate will act on that fairly quickly,” said Cahill. “Hopefully, we’ll have it on the governor’s desk this week.”
