COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
Menu
from A1
resorted to take-out ser-
vices or shut down all
together.
On May 15, Lane
County was among
several Oregon coun-
ties approved to begin
Phase One of the state’s
reopening
blueprint.
Among guidelines for
restaurants and bars are
the requirements to im-
plement six feet of social
distancing, limit groups
to parties of 10 or fewer,
end food and drink con-
sumption by 10 p.m. and
instruct workers to wear
masks.
Each Cottage Grove
food and beverage busi-
ness has responded dif-
ferently and, though
the Chamber has not
received news that any
local businesses are fold-
ing, Neigh pointed out
that the reopening is far
from normal.
“It’s not going to be
business as usual,” she
said. “I don’t think any-
body really knows what
the ‘new normal’ is go-
ing to be. Everybody’s
just trying to play it by
ear right now and keep
everybody safe.”
With the challenge of
meeting safety guide-
lines, many businesses
throughout town have
opted to simply con-
tinue offering take-out.
Downtown
establish-
ments, though, have be-
gun to see more traffic as
some are trying to opti-
mize the opportunity.
Main Street pub Axe
and Fiddle, for instance,
now offers limited seat-
ing (though none at the
bar) and encourages
reservations for dine-ins
while still offering take-
out services.
Likewise, The Brew-
station has taken advan-
tage of its spacious out-
side seating area while
trying to maintain so-
cial-distancing measures
and accommodate an
isolation-weary public.
“Phase one has re-
duced our footprint of
table space, partially
because of the updates/
remodel we are doing
in the music space of
our pub and also be-
cause of spacing of tables
and chairs to meet the
safe distancing require-
ments,” said Brewsta-
tion owner Dale Smith.
“We are set up to clean
between all customers
including tables, chairs,
menus and the bar area.
Hand sanitizer is avail-
able inside and out in
the beer garden and safe
distancing is marked on
the floor.”
In addition, staff at
both pubs will contin-
ue to be outfitted with
masks.
Stacy’s Covered Bridge
Restaurant has also seen
an uptick in customers
as the business has ad-
justed its seating and
opened up to limited
dine-ins.
“We’re big enough that
we can social distance,”
said owner Stacy Solo-
mon. “And we’ve still got
the to-go orders, which
we’re hoping to contin-
MAY 28, 2020 | 7A
DAMIEN SHERWOOD/COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
Grovers turned out at The Brewstation May 15 for the first day of the county’s Phase One reopening, which
allows restricted sit-down service in food and beverage establishments. While some local businesses have
made adjustments to come into compliance with state requirements, others have delayed reopening as
they strategize ways to meet the guidelines.
ue because there are still
some people not quite
comfortable going out in
public yet.”
The restaurant’s re-
opening on the first day
of Phase One saw a ro-
bust turnout, one which
Solomon said nearly
overwhelmed the limit-
ed staff.
“I think people are just
excited to get back out
again,” said Solomon.
Other establishments
like Buster’s Main Street
Café, though, do not
have such a spatial ad-
vantage. Buster’s closed
well before the gover-
nor’s executive order
and reopened May 19
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providing only take-out.
Unfortunately, the coun-
ty’s shift to Phase One
has not been a financial
boon for the café.
“We didn’t open for
dine-in because of the
way the tables have to
be situated,” explained
owner
Paul
Tocco.
“There’s no space and it’s
not worth the risk.”
As such, the café con-
tinues to offer its take-
out service exclusively.
Lingering Impact
Though there is a rel-
ative return to stability
among some establish-
ments, the impact of the
lockdown has taken its
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toll on both businesses
and their workers.
Brewstation, for ex-
ample, was forced to lay
off nine of its 13 em-
ployees, said Smith. A
skeleton crew continued
to offer take-out growl-
ers, canned and bottled
products and eventually
made-to-go food, but
Smith estimates business
dropped to 25 percent of
its usual revenue stream.
Brewstation’s adjoining
feed store has continu-
ing to bring in revenue,
though, and Smith at-
tributed part of the busi-
ness’s ability to ride out
the storm to the com-
munity.
“Business was still
greatly reduced in the
pub, though our com-
munity was very gener-
ous in the frequenting
us for to-go and their
tips and concern for our
team,” said Smith, add-
ing that business has in-
creased to about 50 per-
cent of its usual stream.
“It’s inching up day by
day.”
Other businesses have
reported similar layoff
rates and drops in sales.
Even with the reopening
attracting more custom-
ers, some business own-
ers cannot yet afford to
rehire their former
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