Even though they’ve been given permission to reopen in the next few days, some businesses and restaurants in East Cobb that have been closed due to shelter-in-place orders will wait to resume their full operations.
Among those staying closed for the time being are Seed Kitchen & Bar, Stem Wine Bar and Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar.
In a message to customers sent out Tuesday afternoon, owner Doug Turbush said that while Gov. Brian Kemp’s order lifting mandatory dining room closures of restaurants “is an encouraging sign, we feel it is not in the best interest of our employees, guests or our community to reopen at this time.”
Turbush completely closed all three of his restaurants on March 17, before Kemp restricted restaurants to takeout, delivery and pickup services only.
In his message, Turbush said the timing of reopening depends on getting safety gear, supplies and guidance “on how we can operate and interact with each other in such close proximity. We want nothing more than to open our dining rooms, provide for the people who work with us and get back to what we do best, but service considerations will take time to develop, implement and train.”
On Monday, Kemp said restaurants that meet a list of safety, hygiene and social-distancing criteria can reopen this coming Monday, April 27. The governor will provide more details for restaurants later this week.
Some restaurants that had prioritized dining room service had to adapt to the new measures. One of them, Brewsters Neighborhood Bar & Grille on Canton Road, also said Tuesday it would not be opening its dining room back up for now.
“We apologize, but we feel that this is the right decision at this time. We miss all of you very much and can’t wait to see everyone again soon!” the restaurant said in a social media message, adding that its curbside to go service would continue through May 1.
Kemp’s new measures will allow nail and hair salons, gyms and other “personal touch” businesses he closed last month to reopen on Friday, also if they meet safety criterial.
The new Spenga gym at Merchant’s Walk won’t be one of them. A message yesterday said that “we will not be opening at this time as we feel it is too soon. Your health and that of the staff is our top priority.”
Spenga, which shut its doors March 16, is also eyeing a May 1 reopen date, but that is tentative. Like many gyms and fitness facilities that have been closed, it has been conducting virtual classes and workouts with its clients.
Some businesses haven’t announced reopening dates as they prepare their staff and juggle schedules and appointments.
Among them is Intrigue Salon, which we profiled last week. After Kemp’s announcement Monday, the Johnson Ferry Road establishment said Monday that it will be opening again soon, but “we need to get the needed safety supplies and products to be up and running. . . . We have many procedures to implement before we start booking to keep everyone safe.”
Nancy’s Salon asked its clients to “please be patient with us as we organize our schedules, get the needed supplies, products and have safety measures to go get us started,” and that it would provide an update on its reopening date.
Tracy Kreiner Barnes, owner of The French Table, a furnishings and home decor store on Lower Roswell Road, said she would reopen “when the local CDC advises that it is safe for all of us,” and she will “personally monitor” what doctors and scientists recommend.
She ended her message to customers with the hashtag #livesbeforeeconomy.
The current Georgia shelter-in-place order expires on April 30, and a statewide public health emergency has been extended to May 13.
As of 7 p.m. Tuesday, the Georgia Department of Public Health has 20,166 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and 818 deaths. There are 1,230 cases in Cobb County and 60 deaths.
Related Content
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
