FEATURE STORY
Coast River Business Journal
January 2021 • 7
LUKE WHITTAKER
Nancy Gorshe, co-owner of The Depot Restaurant in Seaview, pictured, said she hopes Washington will open indoor dining by the long weekend
of Martin Luther King Day.
CAROLYN HOARD
While indoor dining has been closed through
the holiday season, restaurants have pivoted
to outdoor dining and takeout.
reopened in June to run the restaurant outside all
summer long,” Orr said. Customers still came to
eat at the outdoor picnic tables, and they only got
rained out for three days.
Meanwhile, Orr studied past pandemics and
learned that winters were often the worst. He knew
the rainy Pacifi c Northwest winter was coming, so
he spent about $20,000 on a medical-grade, three-
stage air cleaner and upgraded air ducting in an
attempt to provide his customers with adequate air-
fl ow to safely dine indoors. But shortly after, the
state shut down indoor dining across the board in
response to a surge in case numbers.
“Everyone knew this was coming and I planned
for it and I’m still getting crushed by what’s happen-
ing,” Orr said. “I agree that indoor dining is proba-
bly the dodgiest thing because you have to take your
mask off to eat. But I think Washington has to look
at making exceptions for businesses that are mak-
ing those investments and having clear standards for
what they need to do for air cleaning.”
“We appreciate the people on the front lines of
this situation,” Orr said. “All our guests have been
‘WE WERE SURPRISED BY THE FOLKS WE HAVEN’T MET BEFORE COMING FOR
TAKEOUT. WE’VE BASICALLY PIVOTED TO TAKEOUT AND WE CAN’T TAKE IT BACK.
IT WILL BE WITH US FOREVER.’
Nancy Gorshe
Co-owner of The Depot Restaurant in Seaview
understanding and we look forward to serving them
in whatever capacity we can.”
The Depot Restaurant
Nancy Gorshe, co-owner of The Depot Restau-
rant in Seaview with her husband and chef, Michael
Lalewicz, said she hopes Washington will open
indoor dining by the long weekend of Martin Luther
King Day.
“That’s when people usually start coming back
to their beach houses, so if we can open by then that
would be helpful,” Gorshe said. “We certainly want
people to feel welcome, and we don’t want people
to be sick.”
She said not being open for indoor dining during
the holiday season has been tough, as in a normal
year Thanksgiving week usually gives The Depot a
boost before the slower winter months.
“I’m feeling a little more anxious than the fi rst
go around (of virus-related closures) except now we
know what to do,” Gorshe said. “We shut down and
put people on unemployment faster.”
Out of 16 staff members, 12 went on unemploy-
ment while Gorshe, Lalewicz and a couple other
employees stayed on to offer takeout.
As a fi ne dining restaurant, The Depot never
pushed takeout before in its 17-year history, but
COVID-19 restrictions led to a reduced menu with
takeout-friendly, packageable options. In turn, the
new menu brought on a new customer base.
“We were surprised by the folks we haven’t met
before coming for takeout,” Gorshe said. “We’ve
basically pivoted to takeout and we can’t take it
back. It will be with us forever.”
Facilitating partnerships
As a chairwoman of the Long Beach Penin-
sula Visitors Bureau, Gorshe has helped facilitate
partnerships between restaurants and local hotels,
including Sou’wester Lodge and local timeshares
through Wyndham.
“They need places for their customers to eat, so
they help keep up our takeout as well,” Gorshe said.
She is also on the board of Ocean Beach Hospi-
tal and the Washington State Hospital Association,
and said she is very excited the COVID-19 vaccine
is already starting to be distributed locally.
“It’s critical our community is not being for-
gotten,” she said. “They’re not left behind because
they’re rural. They are going to be treated fairly and
equitably.”
Gorshe said she appreciates the support of com-
munity members who have been getting more take-
out than they normally would in order to support
the restaurant.
“We wouldn’t be here without that community
support,” Gorshe said.
CARE FOR YOUR TREES
Tree removals • Pruning • Stump Grinding • Plant Health Care
LUKE COLVIN
JON FAGERLAND
AUSTIN WIENECKE
503-791-0853
ISA CERTIFIED ARBORIST PN#6331A
ISA CERTIFIED ARBORIST PN#7059A
ISA CERTIFIED MASTER ARBORIST PN-5890B
TCIA Accredited • ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified • Insured and Bonded • CCB#171855 · WA#ARBORCI909RW
www.arborcarenw.com